# US 12,595,554 B2 · Method for area-selective growth of noble metal thin films using atomic layer deposition > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,595,554 B2 - Document ID: US12595554B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/794,977 - Filed: 2024-08-05 - Published: 2025-04-24 - Granted: 2026-04-07 - Earliest claimed: 2023-10-19 - Assignees: Korea Institute of Science and Technology - Applicants: Korea Institute of Science and Technology - Inventors: Han Kim; Ji-Soo Jang; Sunghoon Hur; Hyun-Cheol Song; Seung Hyub Baek; Ji-Won Choi; Jin Sang Kim; Chong Yun Kang; Seong Keun Kim - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12595554B2 ## CPC - C23C 16/04: Coating on selected surface areas, e.g. using masks - C23C 16/45553: {characterized by the use of precursors specially adapted for ALD} - C23C 16/06: characterised by the deposition of metallic material - C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04) ## Abstract The method for area-selective growth of a noble metal thin film using atomic layer deposition comprises: a first step of preparing a substrate having a growth area and non-growth area showing a difference in nucleation delay, where the non-growth area generates a noble metal nucleus relatively late compared to the growth area during cycles of repeated atomic layer deposition; a second step of supplying a noble metal precursor and adsorbing the noble metal precursor to the growth area and the non-growth area of the substrate; a third step of converting the noble metal precursor into a noble metal atomic layer by supplying an oxidizing agent; and a step of growing a noble metal thin film in the growth area by repeating a combination of the second and third steps. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for area-selective growth of a noble metal thin film using atomic layer deposition, comprising: a first step of preparing a substrate having a growth area and non-growth area showing a difference in nucleation delay, where the non-growth area generates a noble metal nucleus relatively late compared to the growth area during cycles of repeated atomic layer deposition; a second step of supplying a noble metal precursor and adsorbing the noble metal precursor to the growth area and the non-growth area of the substrate; a third step of converting the noble metal precursor into a noble metal atomic layer by supplying an oxidizing agent; and a step of growing a noble metal thin film in the growth area by repeating a combination of the second and third steps, wherein, in the third step, the noble metal nucleus in the non-growth area is converted into a volatile oxide and volatilized by controlling a molar ratio of the noble metal nucleus and the oxidizing agent through control of supply time of the oxidizing agent, and wherein a unit contact area of the non-growth area, where the noble metal nucleus in the non-growth area is in contact with the oxidizing agent, is relatively larger than a unit contact area of the growth area, where the noble metal thin film in the growth area is in contact with the oxidizing agent, thereby promoting generation of the volatile oxide in the non-growth area. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein a novel metal included in the novel metal precursor is a novel metal capable of generating a volatile oxide. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the noble metal is any one of iridium (Ir), ruthenium (Ru), palladium (Pd), platinum (Pt), and rhodium (Rh). ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the noble metal precursor is an Ir precursor, and the oxidizing agent is O3 or O2 plasma. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein in the third step, Ir is converted to IrO3 and volatilized by controlling the molar ratio between Ir and O3, wherein the molar ratio between Ir and O3 is controlled by controlling O3 supply time so that O3 molar ratio exceeds 2 in a state where the molar ratio between Ir and O3 is 3:2. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein the growth area is an Al2O3 area, and the non-growth area is a SiO2 area. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein in the third step, Ir is converted to IrO3 and volatilized by controlling the molar ratio between Ir and O3, wherein the molar ratio between Ir and O3 is controlled by controlling the O3 supply time so that the O3 molar ratio is greater than or equal to Ir molar ratio in the molar ratio between Ir and O3.