Frequently Asked Questions - Technology

Super spatial ALD technology

• What is Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD)?

  Atomic Layer Deposition is a thin film deposition technique that builds coatings atom-by-atom through sequential, self-limiting surface reactions. This enables precise control over film thickness and composition at nanoscale level, producing uniform, conformal, and pinhole-free layers, even on complex 3D structures.

• How does spatial ALD differ from traditional ALD?

  Traditional ALD is a temporal process where a substrate sits in a chamber while precursor gases are pulsed alternately with purge cycles. Spatial ALD takes a different approach by separating the precursor gases spatially rather than temporally. The substrate moves through different zones containing alternating precursor gases, separated by inert gas curtains and exhaust regions. This eliminates the need for time-consuming purge cycles and enables continuous, high-speed processing at atmospheric pressure.

• What is super spatial ALD?

  Super spatial ALD is Kalpana Systems' proprietary spatial ALD technology featuring a unique 3D helical design. In this configuration, flexible substrates are wrapped around a central cylinder and moved in a helical path while being exposed to different precursor gases via a rotating deposition head. This design solves the large footprint challenge of conventional spatial ALD systems while maintaining excellent gas separation. This helps achieve low contamination, constant process conditions, and high uptimes.

• Why does gas separation matter in spatial ALD?

  Effective gas separation between precursor zones is critical for preventing cross-contamination and ensuring consistent, high-quality film deposition. Poor gas separation leads to parasitic reactions, reduced process control, and lower equipment uptime. The helical design of super spatial ALD provides superior gas separation compared to planar spatial ALD configurations, enabling stable industrial-scale production.

• At what temperatures does super spatial ALD operate?

  Super spatial ALD operates at relatively low temperatures, making it suitable for temperature-sensitive substrates such as flexible polymers, organic materials, and perovskite solar cells. This low-temperature capability expands the range of possible applications compared to thermal CVD or other high-temperature deposition methods. With a maximum process temperature of 150°C, super spatial ALD is less energy intensive than other thermal deposition methods, making it a sustainable and more cost-effective alternative.

• What type of thin films can be made by spatial ALD?

  Spatial ALD can produce a wide range of thin film materials, primarily metal oxides, metals, and nitrides. Common materials include aluminum oxide (AlOx), titanium dioxide (TiOx), zinc oxide (ZnO), nickel oxide (NiO), Silicon Oxide (SiOx) zirconium oxide (ZrOx), and tin oxide (SnOx). The technology can also deposit metal nitrides such as well as organic materials. Beyond single materials, super spatial ALD enables the creation of multilayer structures, nanolaminate composites, and doped films by alternating different precursors during the process. This versatility allows the system to produce barrier layers, conductive layers, optical coatings, catalytic surfaces, and protective films tailored to specific application requirements.

• What materials can be deposited?

  The technology accommodates different precursor chemistries and can be configured for specific material systems based on your application needs. Whether you require high-k dielectrics, transparent conductive oxides, electron or hole transport layers, or barrier coatings, the system can be optimized for the appropriate materials and process conditions.