A microwave-assisted thermal atomic layer deposition system for depositing an atomic layer on a substrate, the microwave-assisted thermal atomic layer deposition system comprising:
- a conical processing vessel in a processing chamber, the conical processing vessel having a wide end, a narrow end;
- and a length defined between the wide end and the narrow end
- a platen vessel positioned at the wide end of the conical processing vessel and configured to receive and support the substrate;
- at least one plasma source coupled to the narrow end of the conical processing vessel;
- a microwave system including:
- at least one microwave generator configured to output at least one microwave signal;
- at least two waveguide assemblies configured to receive from the at least one microwave generator an input microwave signal via an input transition member, process the received input microwave signal, and output a processing microwave signal via an output transition member;
- wherein each of the at least two waveguide assemblies are positioned at a non-parallel angle relative to a centerline of the length of the conical processing vessel;
- wherein each of the at least two waveguide assemblies include:
- the input transition member in communication with the at least one microwave generator and configured to receive, as the input microwave signal, the at least one microwave signal;
- at least one isolator positioned within the at least two waveguide assemblies and configured to:
- receive the input microwave signal from the at least one microwave generator;
- reduce or eliminate backscatter of the received input microwave signal to the at least one microwave generator;
- and
- emit the received input microwave signal as an isolated microwave signal;
- at least one tuning device positioned within each of the at least two waveguide assemblies, the at least one tuning device configured to:
- receive the isolated microwave signal emitted from the at least one isolator;
- tune the isolated microwave signal;
- and
- emit the tuned isolated microwave signal as a tuned microwave signal;
- and
- an output transition member positioned within the at least two waveguide assemblies to receive the tuned microwave signal and emit the tuned microwave signal as the processing microwave signal;
- at least two microwave delivery devices, each in communication with a respective waveguide assembly of the at least two waveguide assemblies, and configured to:
- receive the processing microwave signal from the at least two waveguide assemblies;
- and
- direct the processing microwave signal into the processing vessel of the microwave-assisted thermal atomic layer deposition system at a non-parallel angled direction of travel relative to the centerline of the length of the conical processing vessel, such that the at least two waveguide assemblies output the processing microwave signals in an angled direction of travel that is non-parallel relative to the centerline of the length of the conical processing vessel;
- wherein the at least one isolator is positioned downstream from and directly coupled to an output of the at least one microwave generator and is positioned upstream from an input of the at least one tuning device;
- wherein the two waveguide assemblies are configured to output the processing microwave signals such that, when the substrate is supported on the platen vessel:
- the substrate is heated by the processing microwave signals to decrease the time needed to deposit an atomic layer on the substrate;
- and
- when the supported substrate is covered by a deposited atomic layer, the deposited atomic layer is heated by the processing microwave signals to decrease the time needed to deposit an additional atomic layer on the deposited atomic layer.