Researchers at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory integrate water-splitting catalyst with a solar cell by PEALD

Meanwhile, a team of international researchers at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have been very busy taking a major steps towards artificial photosystems employing PEALD processes performed at the Molecular Foundry at Berkeley Lab.

The CoO_x catalyst films were deposited in a Oxford Instruments FlexAL PEALD reactor using CoCp₂ (98% Strem Chemicals) and oxygen plasma was the oxidant.

Schematic of the multi-functional water splitting catalyst layer engineered using atomic layer deposition for integration with a high-efficiency silicon cell. (Credit: Ian Sharp/Berkeley Lab)

Read more here: http://newscenter.lbl.gov/2016/11/09/water-splitting-catalyst-integrated-onto-semiconductor/

A multifunctional biphasic water splitting catalyst tailored for integration with high-performance semiconductor photoanodes [OPEN ACCESS]
Jinhui Yang, Jason K. Cooper, Francesca M. Toma,  Karl A. Walczak, Marco Favaro, Jeffrey W. Beeman, Lucas H. Hess,  Cheng Wang, Chenhui Zhu, Sheraz Gul, Junko Yano, Christian Kisielowski, Adam Schwartzberg & Ian D. Sharp

Nature Materials (2016) doi:10.1038/nmat4794

 

Artificial photosystems are advanced by the development of conformal catalytic materials that promote desired chemical transformations, while also maintaining stability and minimizing parasitic light absorption for integration on surfaces of semiconductor light absorbers. Here, we demonstrate that multifunctional, nanoscale catalysts that enable high-performance photoelectrochemical energy conversion can be engineered by plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition. The collective properties of tailored Co3O4/Co(OH)2 thin films simultaneously provide high activity for water splitting, permit efficient interfacial charge transport from semiconductor substrates, and enhance durability of chemically sensitive interfaces. These films comprise compact and continuous nanocrystalline Co3O4 spinel that is impervious to phase transformation and impermeable to ions, thereby providing effective protection of the underlying substrate. Moreover, a secondary phase of structurally disordered and chemically labile Co(OH)2 is introduced to ensure a high concentration of catalytically active sites. Application of this coating to photovoltaic p+n-Si junctions yields best reported performance characteristics for crystalline Si photoanodes.

BENEQ ALD process beats PVD in speed, quality and cost of ownership

Readers of this blog has probably noticed that ALD is continuously taking market shares from PVD and is growing much faster than PVD. ALD is a disruptive technology in many ways especially in semiconductor manufacturing. Now BENEQ Spatial Plasma ALD process also beats PVD in speed, quality and cost of ownership for Anti Reflection coatings!

 

High-performance AR coatings for mass production 08.11.2016 | BENEQ Equipment :  Ever since we earlier this year announced the licensing of rotary spatial ALD technology and launched Beneq R11, our new rotary tool for plasma enhanced spatial ALD, we have received a steady flow of inquiries and questions about where we see the new equipment being the most useful. Plenty of things, we might say, but here is one prime example: fast low temperature optical coatings, such as anti-reflection (AR) coatings on polycarbonate.

The rotary spatial ALD technology and the Beneq R11 equipment solve two major challenges that have until now been associated with the use of ALD in optical coatings in high-volume manufacturing: the deposition rate and the deposition temperature. The new advanced spatial ALD technology has several advantages over traditional PVD coatings commonly used for optical coatings.

Ultra-fast ALD deposition rates with Beneq R11

Atomic layer deposition is well known for great thin film quality, but the low deposition rates of traditional ALD methods have prohibited its use in volume production. With Beneq R11, this is no longer an issue as we can reach deposition rates of over 1µm/h with common optical materials such as SiO2 and TiO2. This takes the technology from lab scale to high volume manufacturing in one giant leap. Some might even call the deposition rates revolutionary.

Please continue here at the Beneq ALD Blog.

The speaker videos from ALD2016 Ireland are here!

Conference Programme and speaker videos - The conference programme and speaker videos for the The 16th International Conference on Atomic Layer Deposition can be viewed here.

To search:

1. Click on programme / title / presenter / topic
2. Open the abstract
3. The video link is detailed at the top of the abstract

Please note that videos are only listed for the speakers that have granted permission for publication. 

 

 

Fotografie Katharina Knaut (LINK)

The leading ALD News Blog is from today on operating as a Swedish private limited company, BALD Engineering AB

The leading ALD News Blog is from today on operating as a Swedish private limited company (AB = Aktiebolag)  BALD Engineering AB - Born in Finland, Born to ALD, ALD Invented 1974 in Finland.

Bill Gates grants CU Boulder $1.1 million for next-generation vaccines by ALD

The University of Colorado Boulder has received a $1.1 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to develop next-generation vaccines that require no refrigeration and defend against infectious diseases with just one shot. 

 

 

The Jennie Smoly Caruthers Biotechnology Building (JSCBB) at CU Boulder. Photo: Patrick Campbell / University of Colorado Boulder

If successful, those advancements could radically transform the difficult task of dispensing life-saving immunizations in developing countries—and improve convenience in every part of the world.

Professor Bob Garcea of the Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology and the BioFrontiers Institute has teamed up with Professors Ted Randolph and Al Weimer of the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering in a unique collaboration that applies a wide range of skillsets and ideas to the pressing challenge of delivering vaccines to patients in developing countries. All three investigators work in the Jennie Smoly Caruthers Biotechnology Building (JSCBB) at CU Boulder, but their research areas have very different emphases.

“It’s really merging three different people with three different sets of expertise into one project,” Garcea said.

In Garcea’s lab, located in the Jean L. and Jack C. Thompson Vaccine Development Laboratory of the JSCBB, investigators work on new vaccines such as those for human papillomavirus, a leading cause of cervical cancer that is particularly devastating to women in developing countries.

One corridor away, Randolph’s team, which focuses on creating stable dosage forms for therapeutic proteins and vaccines, developed a process for making vaccines thermostable, or resistant to damage from heat or cold. In this glassy powder state, the vaccine can be stored at temperatures as high as 120 degrees Fahrenheit for three to four months without losing efficacy, Randolph said.

The two began collaborating about two years ago and even formed a spinoff company, Vitravax Inc., which is seeing successful results in vaccine studies conducted in mice.

The Gates Foundation grant will take these innovations a step further by combining the thermostable vaccine powders with techniques developed in the Weimer lab that allow uniform nanoscopic protective layers of aluminum oxide to be applied to vaccine microparticles. This coating process, called atomic layer deposition, not only provides a nanometer-thick protective barrier for the vaccine particles but also helps trigger the body’s immune response.

The trio are now forming extended release, multilayer microparticulate vaccine dosage forms, composed of an inner core of stabilized vaccine coated with aluminum oxide layers and an outer layer of vaccine, all embedded in a glassy powder. When the formulation is injected, the outer layer provides an initial vaccine dose. Next, the aluminum oxide layer slowly dissolves, eventually releasing the inner core which acts as a second dose of vaccine. Patients receive their second or third “dose” without ever knowing it and without a return trip to the doctor.

Although each step of the process has worked independently, researchers cautioned that moving from small test batches in the lab to manufacturing millions of vaccines for public use is a challenging process that may not succeed quickly—or at all.

“We’ve done many of the individual parts of this project,” Randolph said. “Now we’ve got to put those pieces together and have it work.”

Still, investigators say they are optimistic about the collaboration, which might never have happened if not for their proximity on CU Boulder’s East Campus and the interdisciplinary mission of the BioFrontiers Institute, which seeks to drive innovation by combining researchers from different fields.

“One of the hopes [of the BioFrontiers Institute] is that investigators will, by their proximity, do new and interesting things,” said Garcea, who is a member of the institute. “In a sense, we’ve fulfilled the mission. If the technology works, we’ve really fulfilled the mission.”

ALD NanoSolutions Reports Banner Year as Its ALD Technology Helps Fast-Track Advanced Materials From Concept to Commercialization

BROOMFIELD, Colorado – Nov. 4, 2016 – Today, ALD NanoSolutions (ALD Nano), the pioneer and market leader in Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) technology on particles, reported a banner year on multiple fronts. The company partners with leading global materials companies to commercialize ALD advanced materials that significantly improve the performance, safety and other characteristics of end products in industries like lighting, batteries, sensors, life sciences and catalysts. 2016 highlights include new patents, deeper customer engagements, expanded manufacturing space, and new reactors to increase production capacity. The momentum illustrates how ALD Nano is harnessing the immense near-term market opportunities for its proprietary ALD technologies outside of ALD’s traditional deployment in the semiconductor industry. 

 

Leading with Differentiated Intellectual Property (IP)

Major 2016 milestones reinforced ALD Nano’s pioneering development and leadership in ALD for control of surface properties at the atomic level for unique functionality of particles and other materials. The company obtained new patents, including some from the University of Colorado Boulder (CU Boulder), its R&D partner since inception. This brings ALD Nano’s total patent holdings to 28 issued and 14 pending. The new IP heightens the market value and cost-effective use of its “Particle ALD” and “Polymer ALD” to create advanced materials. 

An important new patent¹ covers an ALD method to deposit inorganic films on organic polymer surfaces. For industries like OLED displays and lithium-ion batteries, the innovation promises breakthrough benefits that could displace other technologies. The Polymer ALD technology could better protect battery electrode separators from overheating and enable next-generation life-science tools, among other applications. 

Another new patent² is for Particle ALD use with super capacitor electrodes, and an in-license³ from CU Boulder for additional applications of ALD for batteries. Together, they strengthen the company’s position in the energy storage market. A further patent⁴ covers the use of an ALD method to apply a ceramic coating to implantable medical devices. This expands ALD Nano’s position in the life sciences industry. The company also filed a patent⁵ internationally for its revolutionary Particle ALD continuous flow reactor system. This allows for large-scale, cost-effective Particle ALD advanced materials production.

Enabling Innovation for Manufacturers of Lithium-Ion Batteries and LED Lighting

A standout 2016 highlight was the first commercial application of Particle ALD for Cathode Active Materials (CAMs) used to produce lithium-ion batteries. The breakthrough was achieved thanks to CU Boulder’s extensive R&D and ALD Nano’s proprietary and robust IP portfolio, coupled with the company’s strategic partnership with a leading battery materials company. Particle ALD is the most effective surface modification method available for CAMs. The ALD-enabled CAMs will dramatically improve performance, extend cycle life and enhance the safety of batteries for use in consumer electronics, electric vehicles and grid storage.

Also in 2016, the company began commercial production of Particle ALD phosphors for a Fortune Global 500 customer, following a multi-year collaboration. The ALD advanced material significantly extends the brightness lifetime for LED lights, while using a fraction of the coating material required for other deposition methods.

Expanding Infrastructure to Address Growing Demand for ALD Solutions

With its accumulating IP, ALD Nano is expanding and deepening engagements with customers. To support the momentum, the company doubled manufacturing space at its headquarters in Colorado, and added new reactors to increase production capacity. Headcount has also grown in the last 12 months.

CEO Mike Masterson called 2016 a transformative year for ALD Nano: “Our growth this year coincides with the consistently superior performance of our ALD technology in many markets. This validates our early vision and is now guiding our execution strategy to create ALD advanced materials in partnership with leading sales channel partners and customers. We’ll enter 2017 firmly positioned with differentiated technology and expertise to help such companies achieve their technology and cost-of-production goals. Our growth is a tribute to the steady efforts of our team, and the extraordinary innovation contributed by each individual.”

New ALD Nano Patents
¹ US Patent 9,376,750
² US Patent 9,406,449
³ US Patent 9,196,901
⁴ US Patent 9,279,120
⁵ US Application 62/175,964

About ALD
ALD is the sequential vapor phase material deposition method that forms chemically bonded, high-purity, conformal, ultra-thin films of controlled nanometer thickness. ALD generates less waste than other deposition techniques such as chemical vapor deposition, giving customers a sustainable and cost-of-ownership edge, while helping to reduce overall costs. The atomic level precision of ALD on particles, polymers and other substrates enables new or better applications of materials resulting in ALD advanced material solutions. Devices such as consumer electronics are getting smaller and more complex, requiring novel materials to solve critical issues for marketplace adoption.

About ALD NanoSolutions
ALD NanoSolutions (ALD Nano) is creating cost-effective advanced materials that are transforming industries such as lighting, energy storage, consumer electronics, life sciences, fuel catalysts, water purification, sensors, and more. We’re the leader in Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) technology on particles, with broad IP covering polymers and MEMS, as well. We partner with world-leading companies that leverage our material designs and reactor systems to innovate products that benefit consumers globally. For more than a decade, we have commercialized innovative ALD technologies developed internally and through research conducted at the University of Colorado Boulder. We’re headquartered in Broomfield, Colorado.

Company Contact: Mike Masterson; mmasterson@aldnanosolutions.com

Media Contact: Jane Evans-Ryan; Genuity PR; jane@genuitypr.com

Marketwired: ALD NanoSolutions Reports Banner Year as Its Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) Technology Helps Fast-Track Advanced Materials From Concept to Commercialization

NCD supplied Lucida GS100 ALD to KIER

2016/11/02 : NCD has recently launched and supplied Lucida GS100 ALD, new version of Al2O3-ALD passivation equipment for high efficiency crystalline silicon solar cell, to KOREA INSTITUTE OF ENERGY RESEARCH (KIER).

This batch wafer process equipment has the specification below.

1) Batch capability: > 200 wafers/hour

2) Substrate size: 156 x 156mm2

3) Dimension: Approx. 450W x 617D x 1000H mm

KIER, which is not only the largest but also the most prestigious national institute of Korea about energy, is using Lucida GS 100 to investigate what is the best with dielectrics and passivation layers for crystal silicon solar cell. So we expect that this system will contribute very much to the development of solar energy research. NCD will do all we can, to be the best ALD equipment company with continuous R&D efforts. 

 

Lucida GS100 ALD for Al2O3 passivation of solar cells running at > 200 wafers/hour.

ALD news & future outlook from the 3Q 2016 ASM Interlational earnings call

Here is a summary and some personal reflections of the ASM International 3Q/2016 earnings call (Full version at SeekingAlpha) having the ALD binoculars on, as always. In any, case nothing else than ALD was discussed and the main focus was on single wafer ALD and not batch furnace directly. There was however an interesting question from ING on the rumors that ASM will place an offer on Hitachi Kokusai, which Chuck del Prado declined to comment on other than in general terms that ASM has an organic growth strategy and will take opportunities if they give long term growth and therefore share holder value.

My take on this is that we know ASM has made very successful acquisitions in the past, i.e., Microchemistry Oy Finland (ALD technology) and Genitech South Korea (PEALD) and both acquisitions have become crucial fundaments to ASM ALD domination today. However, ASM has not been that successful in ALD Large Batch business, which is dominated by Tokyo Electron and Hitachi Kokusai.

Kokusai also have Batch SiGe Epi process which could add to the ASM Epi business. Based on this it makes sense for ASM to acquire Kokusai. Timing is also good since it is also for sale and ASM has a lot of cash so it is very interesting times. However, you can imagine that also other OEMs are interested in Hitachi Kokusai so let´s see what the outcome will be.

Over to the call - ASM International President and CEO Chuck del Prado reported that as usual the ALD business was again the main driver in the third quarter. The revenue was led by foundry, followed by memory (3DNAND & DRAM) and not so much by logic, which decreased compared to 2Q/2016. The driver for in foundry and logic was driven by 10 nm investments taking place and in memory there was a drift from DRAM towards 3D NAND.

Foundry & Logic

The transition to 10 nm shows an increase in the number of ALD layers for which ASM has been been claiming additional business as compared to the previous 14 nm 16 nm generation. ASM expect to book record revenue in the foundry segment this year compared to previous years.

Memory

Following strong spending levels in 2015 DRAM the  spending went down substantially in 2016. A recovery in DRAM spending has been pushed out and is not expected to occur before mid 2017. The key driver will then be the 1X technology node (Samsung, Hynix and Micron).

For NAND flash that is in transition, the single wafer ALD market and customer spending in NAND flash has shifted from planar NAND to 3D NAND. As a consequence the multiple patterning in planar NAND has close to disappeared by now.

For 3D NAND Chuck del Prado announced that ASM has booked multiple XP8 tool orders for a number of ALD applications in the third quarter and ASM expect double digit growth in the 3D NAND single wafer ALD market in 2017.

For Xpoint (Intel & Micron) ASM announced that they have a R&D engagement for quite some time and are ready for the that market to take off. 

 

 

Eagle XP8 is a high productivity 300mm tool for PEALD applications. The Eagle XP8 PEALD system can be configured with up to four Dual Chamber Modules (DCM), enabling eight chambers in high volume production within a very compact footprint. (www.asm.com)

Future outlook of the ALD market

ASM maintain their forecast that the single wafer ALD market will show a double digit percentage decline in 2016. As explained above due to a significant drop in the memory segment, both in the DRAM and in NAND flash. The drop is only partially offset by a substantial increase in the logic/foundry segment, i.e., 10 nm investments.

For 2017 ASM expectation is that the (single wafer) ALD market will improve due to growthin logic/foundry and 3D NAND applications. However, DRAM spending will come later (mid 2017).

"... the longer term outlook for the single wafer ALD market, the outlook for structural growth remains strongly driven by miniaturization and the introduction of new materials and new complex device architectures. We still estimate that these markets, this market to double by the 2018, 2019 timeframe. Given the decline in the market in 2016, it is more likely that this will happen in 2019 than in 2018." - Chuck del Prado 

Chuck del Prado summarized the growth drivers in single wafer ALD to:

• Complexity and low temperature requirements of advanced FinFET structures drive a strong increase in new ALD applications and layers.  
• ALD-based multiple patterning is a key enabler of the 10 nanometer transition and also the 7 nanometer node in logic/foundry, and the transition from 14/16 nanometer to 10 nanometer and 7 nanometer, over a multiyear period, will expand the single wafer ALD served available market in logic/foundry to more than double in total. 
• In DRAM, we expect multiple patterning to remain a steady contributor for the coming technology transition. 
• In NAND, from a lower base in 2016, we foresee a steady increase in the number of single wafer ALD applications as customers transition to next generation higher stack 3D NAND devices in the coming years.

During the questioning at the end of the call Chuck del Prado reassured the statement form earlier that the the more than doubling in ALD growth is the transition from 16/14 nm to 10 and 7. I assume he also include the single wafer opportunities in 3DNAND and the 1x nm DRAM invest up ahead.

For us ALD R&D guys it would mean that we would need to increase our R&D effort all the same and plan for >1600 delegates at the next European ALD conference 2020 as ALD2016 Ireland had 811 delegates - or has ALD transitioned form a technology push to a Industry pull already some years ago?

 

Hot paper on selective Atomic Layer Etching using fluorination and ligand-exchange reactions

Here is a very recent publication on Atomic Layer Etching (ALE) shared to me by my co-worker at Lund Nano Lab MD Sabbir Ahmed Khan (Now at Aalto University, Finland) - Thank you! The paper is from the group of Steven M. George at CU Boulder and Sematech on selective ALE using fluorination and ligand-exchange reactions - sort of backwards thermal ALD.

For those of you with interest in ALE please remember that the 4th International Atomic Layer Etching Workshop (ALE2017) will be featured at the 17th International Conference on Atomic Layer Deposition, July 15-18, 2017, Denver, Colorado. ALE2017 is chaired by Prof. Steven .M. George and Keren Kanarik from Lam Research.

Selectivity in Thermal Atomic Layer Etching Using Sequential, Self-Limiting Fluorination and Ligand-Exchange Reactions

Younghee Lee^†, Craig Huffman^‡, and Steven M. George^*†§

^† Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States

^‡ SUNY Poly SEMATECH, Albany, New York 12203, United States

^§ Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States

Chem. Mater., Article ASAP

DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemmater.6b02543

(Figure Shared under Rightsink Account #:   3000915597)

Abstract: Atomic layer etching (ALE) can result from sequential, self-limiting thermal reactions. The reactions during thermal ALE are defined by fluorination followed by ligand exchange using metal precursors. The metal precursors introduce various ligands that may transfer during ligand exchange. If the transferred ligands produce stable and volatile metal products, then the metal products may leave the surface and produce etching. In this work, selectivity in thermal ALE was examined by exploring tin(II) acetylacetonate (Sn(acac)2), trimethylaluminum (TMA), dimethylaluminum chloride (DMAC), and SiCl4 as the metal precursors. These metal precursors provide acac, methyl, and chloride ligands for ligand exchange. HF-pyridine was employed as the fluorination reagent. Spectroscopic ellipsometry was used to measure the etch rates of Al2O3, HfO2, ZrO2, SiO2, Si3N4, and TiN thin films on silicon wafers. The spectroscopic ellipsometry measurements revealed that HfO2 was etched by all of the metal precursors. Al2O3 was etched by all of the metal precursors except SiCl4. ZrO2 was etched by all of the metal precursors except TMA. In contrast, SiO2, Si3N4, and TiN were not etched by any of the metal precursors. These results can be explained by the stability and volatility of the possible reaction products. Temperature can also be used to obtain selective thermal ALE. The temperature dependence of ZrO2, HfO2, and Al2O3 ALE was examined using SiCl4 as the metal precursor. Higher temperatures can discriminate between the etching of ZrO2, HfO2, and Al2O3. The temperature dependence of Al2O3 ALE was also examined using Sn(acac)2, TMA, and DMAC as the metal precursors. Sn(acac)2 etched Al2O3 at temperatures ≥150 °C. DMAC etched Al2O3 at higher temperatures ≥225 °C. TMA etched Al2O3 at even higher temperatures ≥250 °C. The combination of different metal precursors with various ligands and different temperatures can provide multiple pathways for selective thermal ALE.

Picosun introduces production-scale AlN batch ALD process

ESPOO, Finland, 27th October, 2016 – Picosun Oy, the leading supplier of advanced industrial ALD (Atomic Layer Deposition) technology, now provides its customers production-scale aluminum nitride batch process with superior film thickness uniformity and fast speed. 

 

Clusterd ALD Batch Tool from Picosun

Aluminum nitride (AlN) is one of the key materials in semiconductor industries. Compatibility with III-V -semiconductors makes it an excellent material for power electronics, and in mobile communications technology it is used in the production of several key components such as RF filters and microphones.

 

“We have achieved excellent results in our new AlN batch process, so we are very happy now to offer it to our industry customers for mass manufacturing applications. AlN is a very sought-after material amongst our microelectronics production customers”, says Dr. Erik Østreng, Applications and Services Director of Picosun.

High quality, but low cost microelectronics mass production is a prerequisite also for the rapidly expanding Internet-of-Things (IoT). Soon, the IoT will require trillions of sensors, actuators, transducers, energy harvesters and other, often independently operating electronic components. AlN thin films are important building blocks also in these devices.

In all semiconductor applications, the quality of the thin films, especially their uniformity and purity, is crucial. For the end product prices to stay competitive, the films must be manufactured fast and cost-efficiently in large batches.

 

“We at Picosun want to offer our customers comprehensive, turn-key ALD manufacturing solutions and the best and most agile customer care. A process, tailored, optimized and ramped-up for each customer’s individual needs is the core part of this solution”, continues Mr. Juhana Kostamo, Managing Director of Picosun. Picosun’s production ALD systems are designed to fulfill the most stringent quality and reliability requirements of today’s semiconductor industry. With Picosun’s SEMI S2 compliant batch ALD tools equipped with fully automatic substrate handling in constant vacuum excellent AlN film thickness uniformities and conformality across the batch have been achieved (See table above).