AVS 66th International Symposium & Exhibition
    Thin Films Division Thursday Sessions
       Session TF-ThP

Paper TF-ThP24
The Evolution of Atomic Layer Processing as a Field: Atomic Layer Etching,and its Connections with Atomic Layer Deposition

Thursday, October 24, 2019, 6:30 pm, Room Union Station B

Session: Thin Films Poster Session
Presenter: Elsa Alvaro, Northwestern University
Authors: E. Alvaro, Northwestern University
A. Yanguas-Gil, Argonne National Laboratory
Correspondent: Click to Email
Atomic layer processing, with its ability to manipulate materials with atomic layer precision, is becoming increasingly relevant for a wide range of applications. A counterpart to Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD), Atomic Layer Etching (ALE) allows controlled layer-by-layer removal of material by using self-limiting, sequential steps. This technique, which appeared in the 1990s, has garnered the interest of the semiconductor industry, where the ability to remove material selectively and in a self limiting way could help fabricate structures and devices at increasingly smaller dimensions. In this paper, we describe the trajectory of ALE, and its connection and overlap with ALD and other research fields. Using citation, network and text analysis methods, we have studied trends in topics, authors and publications. In addition, we have examined the overlap between ALD and ALE, using cocitations as a way of identifying papers that may draw from both fields. The ultimate goal is to understand not only the evolution of ALE, but whether ALD and ALE are effectively merging into a larger, atomic layer processing community.