ALD (thermal ALD/PEALD/spatial ALD)

Why the concentration exists

ALD is a thin-film deposition technique that builds films one atomic layer at a time through sequential precursor exposures. Invented by Tuomo Suntola with a 1977 US patent, the technique was brought from R&D to high-volume manufacturing in 2007. ASM International deployed it that year for high-k metal gate applications. The 2018 Millennium Technology Prize recognized Suntola's contribution to information technology manufacturing.[9][8]

Supply is concentrated because the technique demands extreme conformality on ultra-thin films at advanced nodes. GAA transistors require substantially more ALD steps than FinFET, multiplying tool demand per wafer. Qualification cycles for high-k metal gate integration tie customers to specific platforms, and the top four patent owners in ALD are Tokyo Electron, Applied Materials, Lam Research, and ASM International. Capital intensity and the physics of sub-nanometer film control reinforce the position of incumbents.[11][12]

What the evidence shows

Who supplies it

Beneq introduced the Transform 300, the only 300mm cluster tool offering both thermal ALD in batch configuration and plasma ALD on single-wafer stations. SoLayTec, a subsidiary of Amtech Systems, supplies ALD systems for solar applications with throughputs ranging from 2,400 to 4,500 wafers per hour. Jusung Engineering's chairman has stated that transistor stacking will increase ALD equipment demand as III-V and IGZO semiconductor production scales.[19][20][7]

What it depends on, and what depends on it

ALD consumes specialty precursors to deposit ultra-thin conformal films. Hafnium-based precursors are used for high-k gate dielectrics at 45nm and 32nm logic nodes. Tungsten hexafluoride (WF6) is a precursor for tungsten films used in interconnect and barrier applications. TANIOBIS has installed facilities in Goslar, Germany, for developing CVD and ALD precursor materials for next-generation semiconductors.[5][6][15][17]

ALD films serve as gate dielectrics, high-k metal gates, diffusion barriers, and spacers in advanced logic and memory devices. Intel introduced ALD for high-k plus metal gate transistors in its 45nm logic technology, as reported in a 2007 IEEE IEDM paper. ASM qualified a high-speed ALD process that doubles throughput for hafnium oxide films at 45nm high-k gates and proved extendible to 32nm.[9][5]

Where it sits in the stack

What would break it

Precursor supply is a structural vulnerability for ALD. Tungsten hexafluoride (WF6) is a key precursor for tungsten films, and molybdenum solid precursors are being evaluated as potential replacements. TANIOBIS has installed facilities in Goslar, Germany, for developing CVD and ALD precursor materials for next-generation semiconductors. The company is also expanding production capacity at its Laufenburg facility to strengthen precursor supply sustainability.[15][17]

Throughput limitations of conventional ALD create pressure for alternative configurations. Spatial ALD eliminates pulse-purge chambers and can reach deposition rates around 3600 nm/h, though with potential trade-offs in film quality. Beneq's close-proximity atmospheric pressure SALD variant removes vacuum and heating energy consumption while enabling precursor recycling. Catalytic ALD offers long-term potential for precision manufacturing with reduced chemical waste.[1][3][4][18]

New entrants and product variants continue to emerge. Picosun faces competition from Kalpana Systems and other smaller vendors in specialized niches. Arradiance provides ALD and molecular layer deposition equipment and coating services for semiconductor and nanotechnology applications. ASM has maintained a strategic R&D partnership with IMEC since 1990 and with the University of Helsinki since December 2003 to advance ALD processes and chemistries.[2][10]

What to watch

Capacity expansions are underway at multiple suppliers. ASM International announced an expansion of its Singapore manufacturing facility and innovation centre in October 2023 to meet growing global demand. ALD Vacuum Technologies is planning a fourth building expansion at its Hanau facility, with completion scheduled for the second quarter of 2027. TANIOBIS plans further expansion of CVD and ALD precursor production capacity at Laufenburg.[14][16][17]

GAA-related demand is the principal near-term driver. ALD equipment orders for GAA pilot lines started in the second half of 2023 from Samsung, TSMC, and Intel. By 2028, the additional market for ALD due to GAAFETs will be $1.5 billion compared to FinFET technology. ASM International forecasts double-digit increases in ALD application layers per node for next-generation nodes, backside power delivery, and advanced DRAM such as HBM.[11][13]

Related nodes

Sources

1. link.springer.com · 2023-05-05T00:00:00
2. cbinsights.com
3. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
4. beneq.com · 2024-07-12T11:00:47
5. sec.gov · December 11, 2008
6. sec.gov · April 28, 2009
7. trendforce.com · 2024-07-15
8. en.wikipedia.org · 2007
9. en.wikipedia.org · 1977
10. asm.com
11. blog.baldengineering.com
12. lexisnexisip.com · 2020
13. blog.baldengineering.com · Q1 2025
14. highperformr.ai · April 23, 2024
15. semiconductor-digest.com · July 26, 2023
16. ald-vt.com · 17. June 2026
17. jx-nmm.com · November 13, 2024
18. 360researchreports.com
19. semi.org · November 2021
20. blog.baldengineering.com · December 14, 2017