In this paper, we introduce a vacuum cluster tool designed specifically for studying reaction mechanisms in atomic layer deposition (ALD) and atomic layer etching (ALE) processes. In the tool, a commercial flow-type ALD reactor is in vacuo connected to a set of UHV chambers so that versatile surface characterization is possible without breaking the vacuum environment. This way the surface composition and reaction intermediates formed during the precursor or etchant pulses can be studied in very close to true ALD and ALE processing conditions. Measurements done at each step of the deposition or etching cycle add important insights about the overall reaction mechanisms. Herein, we describe the tool and its working principles in detail and verify the equipment by presenting results on the well-known trimethyl aluminum–water process for depositing Al2O3.
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In vacuo cluster tool for studying reaction mechanisms in atomic layer deposition and atomic layer etching processes
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March 2023
Research Article|
February 01 2023
In vacuo cluster tool for studying reaction mechanisms in atomic layer deposition and atomic layer etching processes
Special Collection:
Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD)
Heta-Elisa Nieminen
;
Heta-Elisa Nieminen
(Data curation, Investigation, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing)
Department of Chemistry, University of Helsinki
, P.O. Box 55, FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland
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Mykhailo Chundak
;
Mykhailo Chundak
(Data curation, Investigation, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing)
Department of Chemistry, University of Helsinki
, P.O. Box 55, FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland
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Mikko J. Heikkilä
;
Mikko J. Heikkilä
(Data curation, Writing – review & editing)
Department of Chemistry, University of Helsinki
, P.O. Box 55, FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland
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Paloma Ruiz Kärkkäinen
;
Paloma Ruiz Kärkkäinen
(Data curation, Writing – review & editing)
Department of Chemistry, University of Helsinki
, P.O. Box 55, FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland
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Marko Vehkamäki
;
Marko Vehkamäki
(Data curation, Writing – review & editing)
Department of Chemistry, University of Helsinki
, P.O. Box 55, FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland
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Matti Putkonen
;
Matti Putkonen
(Data curation, Funding acquisition, Supervision, Writing – review & editing)
Department of Chemistry, University of Helsinki
, P.O. Box 55, FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland
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Mikko Ritala
Mikko Ritala
a)
(Conceptualization, Data curation, Funding acquisition, Investigation, Project administration, Supervision, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing)
Department of Chemistry, University of Helsinki
, P.O. Box 55, FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland
a)Author to whom correspondence should be addressed: mikko.ritala@helsinki.fi
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a)Author to whom correspondence should be addressed: mikko.ritala@helsinki.fi
Note: This paper is part of the 2023 Special Topic Collection on Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD).
J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A 41, 022401 (2023)
Article history
Received:
October 25 2022
Accepted:
January 04 2023
Citation
Heta-Elisa Nieminen, Mykhailo Chundak, Mikko J. Heikkilä, Paloma Ruiz Kärkkäinen, Marko Vehkamäki, Matti Putkonen, Mikko Ritala; In vacuo cluster tool for studying reaction mechanisms in atomic layer deposition and atomic layer etching processes. J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A 1 March 2023; 41 (2): 022401. https://doi.org/10.1116/6.0002312
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