Atomic layer deposition for continuous, high-speed thin films

A method for continuous thin film processing by atomic layer deposition, comprising the steps of:

• moving a substrate along a substrate travel path from a feed roll to a take-up roll;
• flowing a carrier gas over the substrate;
• and
• performing a first atomic layer deposition cycle by:
• dispensing a first pulse of precursor A to a plurality of precursor A injectors;
• dispensing the first pulse of the precursor A from the plurality of precursor A injectors into a laminar flow of carrier gas on the substrate;
• adsorbing the first pulse of precursor A with the substrate to exhaustion to form a plurality of reactive sites;
• dispensing a first pulse of precursor B to a plurality of precursor B injectors, the plurality of precursor B injectors arranged in an alternating arrangement transverse the substrate travel path with the plurality of precursor A injectors with one more precursor B injector than precursor A injector;
• dispensing the first pulse of the precursor B from the precursor B injector into a laminar flow of carrier gas on the substrate;
• and
• reacting the first pulse of precursor B with the plurality of reactive sites to exhaustion to form a deposited thin film layer;
• wherein the first pulse and the second pulse are alternately dispensed at a frequency of at least 5 Hz and further wherein the first pulse is self-extinguishing and the second pulse is self-extinguishing.