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US 2026/0234803 A1Published application
Large scale system for atomic layer deposition
AssigneeForge Nano, Inc.
InventorsAndrew Broerman, James Ragonesi, Brian Evanko
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system, apparatus, and method of atomic layer deposition (ALD) having an arrangement of components designed to process large quantities of powders that is highly reproducible and accurate. Precursors can be supplied to a reactor by surge vessels that also serve the purpose of vaporizing the liquid precursors. These vessels are allowed to swing in pressure and deliver the precursor to the reactor, and be refilled in-line as necessary without disrupting the manufacturing process.
Claims20
An atomic layer deposition system for exposing a first reactive precursor and a second reactive precursor to a plurality of particles having a known total surface area comprising:
- a first vaporization vessel (V-120) comprising the first reactive precursor, a first thermal control system having a first thermal controller adapted to control an operating temperature of the first vaporization vessel V-120, and a first pressure transducer PT-124 to measure an operating pressure of the first vaporization vessel V-120;
- a first volume element (VE-12X) defined by a pipe volume contained between a first computer-controlled valve (XV-122), a second computer-controlled valve (XV-124) and a third computer-controlled valve (XV-102);
- a second vaporization vessel (V-140) comprising the second reactive precursor and a second thermal controller adapted to control an operating temperature of the second vaporization vessel V-140, and a second pressure transducer PT-144 adapted to measure an operating pressure of the second vaporization vessel V-140;
- a second volume element (VE-14X) defined as a pipe volume contained between a fourth computer-controlled valve (XV-142), a fifth computer-controlled valve (XV-144) and a sixth computer-controlled valve (XV-104);
- an inert gas delivery system in fluid communication with both:
- a first volume element (VE-12X) when the third computer-controlled valve (XV-102) is in an open position, and the second volume element (VE-14X) when the sixth computer-controlled valve (XV-104) is in an open position;
- and
- a reactor (R-200) having a gas inlet, a gas outlet, and a gate valve for loading and unloading the plurality of particles having a known total surface area, and having a third thermal control system having a means of controlling the operating temperature of the reactor, and a third pressure transducer to measure the operating pressure of the reactor;
- wherein the first vaporization vessel V-120 is in fluid communication with the first volume element (VE-12X) when the first computer-controlled valve XV-122 is in an open position, and wherein the second vaporization vessel V-140 is in fluid communication with the second volume element (VE-14X) when the fourth computer-controlled valve XV-142 is in an open position;
- wherein the first volume element is in fluid communication with the reactor when the second computer-controlled valve is in an open position, and wherein the second volume element is in fluid communication with the reactor when the fifth computer-controlled valve is in an open position;
- and
- wherein the second computer-controlled valve and the fifth computer-controlled valve cannot be in an open position simultaneously, wherein the first computer-controlled valve and the third computer-controlled valve cannot be in an open position simultaneously, wherein the fourth computer-controlled valve and the sixth computer-controlled valve cannot be in an open position simultaneously.
9 more elements
A method for applying a coating onto a plurality of particles having a known total surface area in a reactor comprising a sub-cycle comprising the steps of:
- administering from a dosing source, a first precursor dose into the reactor at a first controlled precursor temperature, which defines the first precursor pressure, for a first time period;
- terminating the first precursor dose administration and isolating the reactor from the dosing source and vacuum pump, and applying a first static hold for a second time period;
- administering a first dose push comprising inert gas into the reactor at an inert gas pressure that is at least 100 Torr higher than the first precursor pressure at the first controlled precursor temperature, for a third time period;
- terminating the first dose administration and isolating the reactor from the dosing source and vacuum, and applying a second static hold for a fourth time period;
- and
- repeating the steps of the sub-cycle a first plurality of times, wherein the pressure of the reactor during the fourth time period of each repeated sub-cycle is at least 50 Torr greater than the pressure of the reactor during the fourth time period of each immediately preceding sub-cycle.
3 more elements
A method for applying an ALD coating onto a plurality of particles having a known total surface area in a reactor operatively connected to a residual gas analyzer (RGA) comprising a sub-cycle comprising the steps of:
- administering from a dosing source, a first precursor dose into the reactor at a first controlled precursor temperature, which defines the first precursor pressure, for a first time period and independently monitoring the RGA signals of the ALD reaction product and the precursor, wherein the maximum height of the RGA signal of the ALD reaction product is defined as SY where Y=1, and the first time period is defined as tY where Y=1, the time between the initial rise of the RGA signal of the ALD reaction product and the initial rise of the RGA signal of the precursor;
- terminating the first precursor dose administration and isolating the reactor from the dosing source and vacuum pump, and applying a first static hold for a second time period;
- administering a first dose push comprising inert gas into the reactor at an inert gas pressure that is less than that of the first precursor pressure at the first controlled precursor temperature, for a third time period;
- terminating the first dose administration and isolating the reactor from the dosing source and vacuum, and applying a second static hold for a fourth time period;
- and
- repeating the steps of the sub-cycle for Y times where Y is at least two, and until the product of SY·tY during the Yth sub-cycle is <5% of the product of S1·t1·
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.