Ajou University Develops New Deposition Technology to Enhance Precision in Semiconductor Processes

Precise Patterning Achievable Without EUV
Ajou University and Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology Succeed in Selective Atomic Layer Deposition Technology
Published in Advanced Science; Demonstrates Enhanced Semiconductor Process Precision

Ajou University has succeeded in developing selective atomic layer deposition technology that can dramatically improve the precision of semiconductor processes in collaboration with the Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology joint research team.

Professor Oil Kwon_Ajou University, Department of Intelligent Semiconductor Engineering and Department of Electronic Engineering / Corresponding Author

On the 19th, Ajou University announced that Professor Oil Kwon (Department of Intelligent Semiconductor Engineering and Department of Electronic Engineering) and the Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology joint research team succeeded in developing selective atomic layer deposition technology that can enhance the precision of semiconductor thin film deposition.

This research was published in the April issue of the prestigious journal Advanced Science. Minjeong Lee, Byungjun Won, and Youngjin Lim, master's students in the Department of Intelligent Semiconductor Engineering at Ajou University, participated as co-first authors, and Professor Oil Kwon served as the corresponding author. Dr. Sunghyun Kim and Dr. Jeongkyu Song from Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology participated as co-authors.

Selective atomic layer deposition (AS-ALD) in semiconductor processes is a technology that controls deposition to occur only on specific surfaces of the semiconductor substrate. By utilizing this technology, only the necessary materials can be deposited at desired locations on the semiconductor substrate.

The conventional atomic layer deposition process widely used forms a uniform thin film over the entire substrate. However, as semiconductor devices have become more miniaturized and highly integrated recently, there is a growing demand for technology that selectively forms thin films only in desired areas to reduce the number of processes, manufacturing costs, and the possibility of errors, thereby improving precision and efficiency.

Accordingly, selective atomic layer deposition technology (AS-ALD) has emerged as a core technology for the next-generation semiconductor process. The joint research team analyzed the mechanism by which selective deposition occurs in specific areas using a zirconium dioxide (ZrO2) substrate and experimentally demonstrated an effective method to control it. They also confirmed that selective atomic layer deposition can improve the performance of semiconductor devices while reducing unnecessary leakage current.

Professor Kwon stated, "'Selective atomic layer deposition' is an essential technology to overcome the technical limits of the semiconductor industry, but there have been many challenges in applying it to actual processes. Through this research, experimentally proving that selective deposition and control are possible represents a significant advancement in semiconductor process technology."