Atomic Layer Deposition of Inorganic Thin Films on 3D Polymer Nanonetworks

Jinseong Ahn,Changui Ahn,Seokwoo Jeon,Junyong Park

doi:10.3390/app9101990

Abstract

Atomic layer deposition (ALD) is a unique tool for conformally depositing inorganic thin films with precisely controlled thickness at nanoscale. Recently, ALD has been used in the manufacture of inorganic thin films using a three-dimensional (3D) nanonetwork structure made of polymer as a template, which is pre-formed by advanced 3D nanofabrication techniques such as electrospinning, block-copolymer (BCP) lithography, direct laser writing (DLW), multibeam interference lithography (MBIL), and phase-mask interference lithography (PMIL). The key technical requirement of this polymer template-assisted ALD is to perform the deposition process at a lower temperature, preserving the nanostructure of the polymer template during the deposition process. This review focuses on the successful cases of conformal deposition of inorganic thin films on 3D polymer nanonetworks using thermal ALD or plasma-enhanced ALD at temperatures below 200 °C. Recent applications and prospects of nanostructured polymer–inorganic composites or hollow inorganic materials are also discussed.

Highlights

Atomic layer deposition (ALD), a type of chemical vapor deposition (CVD), is a unique thin film deposition technique that can control the thickness of thin films at the angstrom level based on sequential self-limiting, gas-solid surface reactions [1,2,3]
This short review focuses on recent cases of successful formation of conformal inorganic thin films on 3D nanostructured polymer templates, using thermal or plasma-enhanced ALD (PEALD) at process temperatures below 200 ◦ C (Figure 1a–c)
In the PEALD process, the precursor supply and purge steps are the same as they are for thermal ALD; plasma is generated in the third reactant supply step to improve the reactivity

Summary

Introduction

Atomic layer deposition (ALD), a type of chemical vapor deposition (CVD), is a unique thin film deposition technique that can control the thickness of thin films at the angstrom level based on sequential self-limiting, gas-solid surface reactions [1,2,3]. To realize various materials and properties through 3D polymer template-based ALD, it is very important to secure a variety of methods for depositing inorganic thin films at temperatures below 200 ◦ C, especially at room temperature This short review focuses on recent cases of successful formation of conformal inorganic thin films on 3D nanostructured polymer templates, using thermal or plasma-enhanced ALD (PEALD) at process temperatures below 200 ◦ C (Figure 1a–c). We discuss the material properties, applications, and prospects of 3D nanostructured inorganic or composite materials through this strategy

Preparation of 3D Polymer Nanonetworks

Conformal Deposition of Inorganic Thin Films on 3D Polymer Nanonetworks

Organic–Inorganic Hybrid Nanocomposites

Highly Porous Hollow Inorganics

Findings

Summary and Outlook