Definition
An atomic layer deposition reactor separates precursor and reactant doses with purge steps so that self-limiting surface reactions add material cycle by cycle, enabling thickness control and conformal coverage on complex three-dimensional structures.
Process position
Inputs
- Prepared wafer
- Alternating precursors
- Purge gas
- Cycle recipe
Outputs
- Conformal thin film
- Cycle and chamber-history data
How it works
- 01Condition chamber and wafer
- 02Dose first precursor
- 03Purge excess species
- 04Dose co-reactant or plasma
- 05Purge and repeat cycles
Role in the production flow
ALD is selected when surface control and conformality justify a relatively slow cyclic process. Reactor design must deliver repeatable saturation and complete separation of reactive species across the full wafer and feature geometry.
A cyclic deposition reactor that alternates surface-limited precursor exposures to build highly controlled and conformal thin films.
Boundary: The cited manufacturers document the equipment category and its intended uses; this record does not independently validate vendor performance claims or rank products.
Qualification and production boundaries
The qualified window must state precursor chemistry, temperature, dose and purge sequence, plasma conditions if any, growth per cycle, conformality target, impurity limits, chamber matching, and acceptable throughput.
The qualified window must state precursor chemistry, temperature, dose and purge sequence, plasma conditions if any, growth per cycle, conformality target, impurity limits, chamber matching, and acceptable throughput.
Boundary: Actual acceptance limits, recipes, throughput, availability, and ownership economics are product-, process-, site-, and contract-specific.
Sources
Citations support the tagged claims above. Access dates record when Maha Strategies last checked the public source.
- [1]Atomic Layer Deposition · Applied Materials · accessed 2026-08-13
- [2]Semiconductor Products · Applied Materials · accessed 2026-08-24
- [3]Our Processes · Lam Research · accessed 2026-08-24