Sequential precursor dosing in an ALD multi-station/batch reactor

A multi-station substrate processing apparatus for depositing layers of material on multiple semiconductor substrates at multiple processing stations, the apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of processing stations each having a substrate holder contained within one or more reaction chambers;
• a valve assembly for directing flow of film precursor to each of the processing stations and to a precursor-divert flow path;
• a valve-operated vacuum source for removing precursor from the volumes surrounding the processing stations inside the one or more reaction chambers;
• and
• a controller comprising machine-readable instructions for operating the valve assembly and vacuum source including instructions for:
• (i) dosing substrates at the processing stations with film precursor by introducing the precursor into the one or more reaction chambers and allowing the precursor to adsorb onto the surface of the substrates in an adsorption-limited manner;
• (ii) removing unadsorbed precursor from the volumes surrounding the processing stations inside the one or more reaction chambers;
• (iii) reacting adsorbed precursor with a plasma, after removing unadsorbed precursor, to form a layer of material on the substrates;
• (iv) removing desorbed precursor and/or reaction by-product from the volumes surrounding the processing stations inside the one or more reaction chambers when present after reacting adsorbed precursor;
• and
• (v) repeating (i) through (iv) multiple times to form multiple layers of material on the multiple substrates at the multiple processing stations;
• wherein the dosing in (i) comprises dosing a first substrate at a first processing station of the plurality of processing stations and dosing a second substrate at a second processing station of the plurality of processing stations with precursor flowing from a common source, the timing of said dosing in (i) staggered such that:
• the first substrate is dosed during a first dosing phase during which the second substrate is not substantially dosed;
• and
• the second substrate is dosed during a second dosing phase during which the first substrate is not substantially dosed;
• and
• wherein the precursor flows continuously from the common source during the first and second dosing phases.

A method of depositing layers of material on multiple semiconductor substrates at multiple processing stations within one or more reaction chambers, the method comprising:

• (i) dosing the substrates at the processing stations with a film precursor by introducing the precursor into the one or more reaction chambers and allowing the precursor to adsorb onto the surface of the substrates in an adsorption-limited manner;
• (ii) removing unadsorbed precursor from the volumes surrounding the processing stations inside the one or more reaction chambers;
• (iii) reacting adsorbed precursor with an plasma, after removing unadsorbed precursor, to form a layer of material on the substrates;
• (iv) removing desorbed precursor and/or reaction by-product from the volumes surrounding the processing stations inside the one or more reaction chambers when present after reacting adsorbed precursor;
• and
• (v) repeating (i) through (iv) multiple times to form multiple layers of material on the multiple substrates at the multiple processing stations;
• wherein the dosing in (i) comprises staggering the flow of precursor to the plurality of processing stations by redirecting a continuous flow of precursor from a common source to the processing stations such that, during prescribed time intervals, one or more processing stations receive a flow of precursor while one or more other processing stations do not.