Plasma-assisted atomic layer deposition (ALD) is an energy-enhanced method for the synthesis of ultra-thin films with Å-level resolution in which a plasma is employed during one step of the cyclic deposition process. The use of plasma species as reactants allows for more freedom in processing conditions and for a wider range of material properties compared with the conventional thermally-driven ALD method. Due to the continuous miniaturization in the microelectronics industry and the increasing relevance of ultra-thin films in many other applications, the deposition method has rapidly gained popularity in recent years, as is apparent from the increased number of articles published on the topic and plasma-assisted ALD reactors installed. To address the main differences between plasma-assisted ALD and thermal ALD, some basic aspects related to processing plasmas are presented in this review article. The plasma species and their role in the surface chemistry are addressed and different equipment configurations, including radical-enhanced ALD, direct plasma ALD, and remote plasma ALD, are described. The benefits and challenges provided by the use of a plasma step are presented and it is shown that the use of a plasma leads to a wider choice in material properties, substrate temperature, choice of precursors, and processing conditions, but that the processing can also be compromised by reduced film conformality and plasma damage. Finally, several reported emerging applications of plasma-assisted ALD are reviewed. It is expected that the merits offered by plasma-assisted ALD will further increase the interest of equipment manufacturers for developing industrial-scale deposition configurations such that the method will find its use in several manufacturing applications.

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Some qualified support was found for the relevance of early maternal bonding to later difficulties processing emotions. The presence of greater alexithymia in females, and female science students in particular, was discussed in reference to similar observations elsewhere. There was also an understandable relationship between 'difficulty identifying feelings' (TAS) and both depersonalization/derealization and absorption (DES).

Atomic layer deposition offers the unique opportunity to control, at the atomic level, the 3D distribution of dopants in highly uniform and conformal thin films. Here, it is demonstrated that the maximum doping efficiency of Al in ZnO can be improved from ∼10% to almost 60% using dimethylaluminum isopropoxide (DMAI, Al(CH3)2(O i Pr)) as an alternative Al precursor instead of the conventionally used trimethylaluminum (TMA, Al(CH3)3). Due to the steric hindrance of the isopropoxyl ligand of the precursor, the Al atoms can be deposited more widely dispersed, which enables higher active-dopant densities and hence a higher conductivity of the Al-doped films.

Potts, S.E.; Schmalz, L.; Fenker, M.; Díaz, B.; Swiatowska, J.; Maurice, V.; Seyeux, A.; Marcus, P.; Radnóczi, G.; Tóth, L.; Kessels, W.M.M.

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