ALD stories podcast

Connecting the German ALD Community with Martin Knaut ALD Stories Ep. 31

Episode 31 features German ALD professor, Dr. Martin Knaut. Martin is the chair for the Institute of Semiconductor and Microsystems Technology at TU Dresden and the atomic layer processing group leader. He is also a founding member of the Atomic Layer Process Innovation Network, or ALPIN, organizer of the annual ALD for Industry event, and runs a small in situ tool development company, called ALS Metrology. With a long career working with ALD in Dresden, at the likes of Infineon and Qimonda,...

SnS ALD and Ultrathin Solar Cells with Carl Hägglund – ALD Stories Ep. 30

  In this episode, Tyler is joined by Professor Carl Hägglund from Uppsala University. They discuss Carl’s motivations for pursuing ultrathin solar cells, how he learned ALD at Stanford in Stacey Bent’s lab, and an unlikely research connection through his child’s school. They also talk about why ALD is useful for plasmonic solar cells, optimization of SnS ALD and his planned path towards a fully realized ultrathin photovoltaic.  00:00 Introduction  01:45 Motivation for fabricati...

Introducing ALD to the Semiconductor Industry with Suvi Haukka – ALD Stories Ep. 29

Dr. Suvi Haukka, former executive technologist at ASM, ASM Fellow and ALD Innovator Awardee, joins Tyler for Episode 29. Suvi began her ALD career at Microchemistry in Finland working on atomic layer epitaxy on catalysts for under the direction of ALD technology inventor, Tuomo Suntola. She continued with Microchemistry as head of the thin film development group before spending most of her time teaching the world’s biggest semiconductor companies, like Intel and Samsung, about ALD. Suv...

Breaking Efficiency Records using ALD with Hele Savin – ALD Stories Ep. 28

In Episode 28 of ALD Stories, Tyler is joined by Aalto University’s Hele Savin. Hele is a professor in the department of Electronics and Nanoengineering where she uses ALD to engineer photovoltaics and semiconductor devices. In 2017, Hele was awarded the women’s innovation prize from the Finnish parliament after fabricating a black silicon solar cell with a record-breaking 22.1% efficiency and currently uses ALD to create induced junction photodiodes with over 100% external quantum ef...

The Secret to 100 ALD Patents with Rob Clark – ALD Stories Ep. 27

For Ep. 27, Dr. Rob Clark from Tokyo Electron joins to discuss his rise from an equipment know-nothing to ALD process engineer extraordinaire. Rob, the self-proclaimed Manipulator of Matter, is a Senior MTS and Technology Director at TEL where he leads process and integration of thin film deposition methods for next-generation semiconductor devices.     Recorded live at ALD ALE 2023 in Washington, Rob and Tyler discuss how he first learned ALD on CVD equipment, the early days of ...

Balancing Fundamental and Applied ALD with Stacey Bent – ALD Stories Ep. 26

In Episode 26, Professor Stacey Bent from Stanford University joins to discuss all aspects of her career, including early area selective deposition work, how her different academic appointments in chemistry and engineering have influenced the direction of her work, and how ALD can be used in energy applications. Stacey and Tyler also chat about how Stacey finds the best paths for her students, how being a professor and Vice Provost feedback to each other, and new programs she has initiated i...

The Evolution of the ALD Reactor – ALD Stories Ep. 25

In its short 50 years of existence, the history of ALD has been of great interest, being heavily researched and documented in the last decade. One can follow the story from many lenses: one in particular is to view the technology’s development is through an equipment perspective. Each milestone in process technology was accompanied and enabled by new ALD tools. Without innovative equipment design, we would not have the vast ALD ecosystem we do today. Via patents and literat...

How to Receive a Gordon E. Moore Medal with Fred Roozeboom – ALD Stories Ep. 24

Dr. Fred Roozeboom joins ALD Stories for Ep. 24. Fred spent most of his career in the semiconductor industry at Philips and NXP working on rapid thermal processing and passive integration. He pivoted to ALD at the TNO Holste Centre and now finds himself at his alma mater, University of Twente. Fred was recently awarded the Gordon E. Moore Medal for Outstanding Achievement in Solid State Science and Technology from the ElectroChemical Society. Fred and Tyler talk about the se...

ALD at the Nexus of Industry & Academia with Harm Knoops – ALD Stories Ep. 23

In Episode 23 of ALD Stories, Dr. Harm Knoops joins Tyler to discuss his dual role at Eindhoven University and Oxford Instruments Plasma Technologies. As an Atomic Scale Specialist, Harm routinely advises on processes in ALD, ALE and 2D materials while informing their work with supplemental research at Eindhoven. Harm and Tyler talk about alternatives careers to the traditional industry and academia binary, how scientists can leverage their technical knowledge, and how working in...

Chemistry of Atomic Layer Deposition with Sean Barry - ALD Stories Ep. 22

Professor Sean Barry from Carleton University joins Tyler on Episode 22 of ALD Stories. Sean recalls his time working at the University of Helsinki and a mishap or two in Mikko Ritala’s lab, how the Finnish ethos inspires him, and why he considers Helsinki his second city. Sean also talks about how knowledge of fundamental chemistry is important for understanding atomic layer deposition, why he decided to write a book on the topic, and how chemistry informed the evol...

ALD for Astronomical Imaging with NASA JPL’s John Hennessy – ALD Stories Ep. 21

In Episode 21, John Hennessy from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab joins ALD Stories to talk about his work using ALD to deposit UV coatings for astronomical imaging applications. John talks about the relationship between NASA and JPL, how UV coatings allow us to see more of the universe, and how the technology has improved since the Hubble Space Telescope. John and Tyler also discuss how to test the readiness of devices for eventual launch and NASA’s Decadal Survey for deciding new mission ...

ALE-only Wafer Patterning with AlixLab’s Jonas Sundqvist – ALD Stories Ep. 20

In Episode 20, Jonas Sundqvist, ALD researcher, entrepreneur and consultant joins Tyler for his 3rd time on the show to talk about his company, AlixLabs (Eps. 4 & 7). AlixLabs has developed a cutting-edge technology called Atomic Pitch Splitting (APS) which utilizes a topographically-selective atomic layer etching process. Jonas discusses how APS works, why they could potentially pattern substrates without the use of multiple lithography steps, and how AlixLabs can off...

A True Pioneer of ALD Research with Jeffrey Elam – ALD Stories Ep. 19

Tyler is joined by Dr. Jeffrey Elam from Argonne National Lab in Chicago. Jeff is the head of the Atomic Layer Deposition research program at Argonne and has received numerous awards, accolades and patents for his work, the ALD Innovator Award and Lifetime Achievement Award at Argonne as examples. In this episode, Tyler and Jeff discuss his time as a post doc in the Steven George lab where he built the first ALD reactors, how he began the ALD group at Argonne, and some of his award-winning w...

Tales of a Former Micron Engineer with Parag Banerjee – ALD Stories Ep. 18

In Episode 18, Professor Parag Banerjee from the University of Central Florida joins Tyler to chat about his less-than-traditional path in ALD. Parag was a Process Engineer at Micron during the time ALD was first being implemented into their manufacturing workflows. Parag tells Tyler about his role at Micron, how Micron handled the addition of ALD, his decision to return to academia and what’s happening at his lab in Florida.  In this episode:  00:00 Introduction  01:49 Time at Micron  ...

Tales of a Former Micron Engineer with Parag Banerjee – ALD Stories Ep. 18

In Episode 18, Professor Parag Banerjee from the University of Central Florida joins Tyler to chat about his less-than-traditional path in ALD. Parag was a Process Engineer at Micron during the time ALD was first being implemented into their manufacturing workflows. Parag tells Tyler about his role at Micron, how Micron handled the addition of ALD, his decision to return to academia and what’s happening at his lab in Florida.  In this episode:  00:00 Introduction  01:49 Time at Micron  ...

Redox-Active Polymer Films for Energy Applications with Matthias Young – ALD Stories Ep. 17

In Episode 17, Tyler speaks with Matthias Young from the University of Missouri, aka Mizzou. Matthias talks about this use of oxidative MLD for depositing redox active polymer films which paves the way for more cost-effective electrode materials. Matthias and Tyler discuss his journey to, from and back to ALD, how working in other fields can benefit your creativity, results from his recent work in oMLD paper, and how ALD can be used as a tool for understanding fundamental questions about tri...

3D Printing by ALD with Atlant 3D's Maksym Plakhotnyuk - ALD Stories Ep. 16

Episode 16 features Dr. Maksym Plakhotnyuk, the CEO and Founder of Atlant 3D Nanosystems. Atlant 3D produces the world's first reactor for direct writing of ALD - the ultimate area-selective ALD process. Their Nanofabricator tool will could be the enabling technology for on-demand printing of microelectronics. In this episode, Maksym tells Tyler about the company's origins, their deal with NASA to create a 0G ALD reactor and Maksym's own history as an entrepreneuer.   In this episode: ...

Life of a Journal Editor with Han-Bo-Ram Lee – ALD Stories Ep. 15

Back to Basics: Understanding Conformality with Riikka Puurunen – ALD Stories Ep. 14

Back for her second episode, Professor Riikka Puurunen is bringing us back to the basics with a deep dive on conformality. Recorded live from the Harald Herlin Learning Center at Aalto University, Tyler and Riikka talk about the all-important property of ALD. In this episode, Riikka explains the history of conformality in ALD, her recent paper on modeling collaboration, the origins of the PillarHall conformality test structures and a conversation on open science.    In this episode:  ...

Becoming Predictive Using ALD Models with Michael Nolan – ALD Stories Ep. 13

In Episode 13, Tyler chats with Michael Nolan from the Tyndall National Institute in Ireland. Michael specializes in molecular and atomistic modeling, using his expertise to help predict, understand, and screen ALD precursors and chemistries. Mike and Tyler talk about all things modeling, including basics for modeling ALD reactions, limitations of current modeling efforts, and how theorists and experimentalists can powerfully work together. Enjoy!    In this episode:  00:00 Intro  01:48 ...

Building Better Batteries with Arrelaine Dameron – ALD Stories Ep. 12

Episode 12 brings Tyler to Colorado where he chats with Arrelaine Dameron, VP of R&D at ForgeNano and an old friend from graduate school. ForgeNano is an ALD equipment supplier specializing in particle ALD for battery, catalysis, and pharmaceutical applications. The two talk about ALD at battery interfaces, love for the ALD community and ForgeNano’s recent activities, including their move to a new facility.   In this episode: 00:00 Introduction & Careers in ALD 05:03 Battery Interfac...

Building Better Batteries with ALD – ALD Stories Ep. 12 w/ Arrelaine Dameron

Episode 12 brings Tyler to Colorado where he chats with Arrelaine Dameron, VP of R&D at ForgeNano and an old friend from graduate school. ForgeNano is an ALD equipment supplier specializing in particle ALD for battery, catalysis, and pharmaceutical applications. The two talk about ALD at battery interfaces, love for the ALD community and ForgeNano’s recent activities, including their move to a new facility.   In this episode: 00:00 Introduction & Careers in ALD 05:03 Battery Interfac...

Using Vapor Phase Infiltration for Fabricating Membranes with David Bergsman – ALD Stories Ep 11

From the corner of one continent to another, Professor David Bergsman joins Tyler from the University of Washington in Seattle. David discusses his use of vapor phase infiltration as a method of fabricating new membrane structures inspired by his work in Stacey Bent’s lab at Stanford and how he started an ALD lab during a pandemic.  In this video:  00:00 – Introduction  02:01 – David’s Background & MLD  08:02 – Membrane Fabrication and Property Challenges  17:19 – Vapor Phase Infiltra...

Area-Selective Approaches for Atomic Layer Processing with Mikko Ritala – ALD Stories Ep 10

In the 10th installment of ALD Stories, Tyler meets up with Professor Mikko Ritala at the University of Helsinki. A professor of chemistry and renowned ALD scientist, Mikko has been working with ALD since the 90s. Following a stellar lab tour, Tyler and Mikko discuss ALD activities at the University of Helsinki, including their new tools, work on area-selective processing and partnership with ASM Microchemistry.     In this video:  00:00 – Intro  02:30 – The Ritala Lab  09:33 – ALD in t...

Will Particle ALD Change our Pharmaceuticals? - w/ Ruud van Ommen (ALD Stories Episode 9)

In Episode 9, Tyler gets schooled on particle ALD with Delft University of Technology professor, Ruud van Ommen. The duo discuss challenges associated with doing ALD on powders, scale up strategies, Ruud's work on coating pharmaceutical powders, and atomic layer etching of particles. Follow Ruud on Twitter @JRvanOmmen and find his research page here: https://www.tudelft.nl/tnw/over-faculteit/afdelingen/chemical-engineering/principal-scientists/ruud-van-ommen Follow Tyler on Twitter @TyMy...

Will Particle ALD Change our Pharmaceuticals? with Ruud van Ommen - ALD Stories Ep. 9

In Episode 9, Tyler gets schooled on particle ALD with Delft University of Technology professor, Ruud van Ommen. The duo discuss challenges associated with doing ALD on powders, scale up strategies, Ruud's work on coating pharmaceutical powders, and atomic layer etching of particles. Follow Ruud on Twitter @JRvanOmmen and find his research page here: https://www.tudelft.nl/tnw/over-faculteit/afdelingen/chemical-engineering/principal-scientists/ruud-van-ommen Follow Tyler on Twitter @TyMy...

How Did Plasmas Change ALD? - w/ Erwin Kessels (ALD Stories Ep 8)

In Episode 8 of ALD Stories, Tyler chats with Eindhoven University of Technology professor, Erwin Kessels, about plasma-enhanced ALD, industry applications, and Erwin's Atomic Limits blog & teaching strategies. Professor Erwin Kessels - https://www.tue.nl/en/research/researchers/erwin-kessels/ Atomic Limits Blog - https://www.atomiclimits.com/ Follow on social media: Tyler - @TyMytheALDGuy Erwin - @ErwinKessels

How Did Plasmas Change ALD? with Erwin Kessels - ALD Stories Ep. 8

In Episode 8 of ALD Stories, Tyler chats with Eindhoven University of Technology professor, Erwin Kessels, about plasma-enhanced ALD, industry applications, and Erwin's Atomic Limits blog & teaching strategies. Professor Erwin Kessels - https://www.tue.nl/en/research/researchers/erwin-kessels/ Atomic Limits Blog - https://www.atomiclimits.com/ Follow on social media: Tyler - @TyMytheALDGuy Erwin - @ErwinKessels

Green CVD: How Sustainable is Thin Film Deposition?

Professors Henrik Pedersen, Sean Barry, and Jonas Sundqvist join Tyler to discuss their recent publication in JVSTA about Green CVD. The trio talk about the conception of a new research field which concerns creating more sustainable thin film deposition practices without sacrificing film quality and offers some perspective on a number of areas and strategies addressed in the manuscript. Read the paper here: https://avs.scitation.org/doi/10.1116/6.0001125

Green CVD: How Sustainable is Thin Film Deposition? - ALD Stories Ep. 7

Professors Henrik Pedersen, Sean Barry, and Jonas Sundqvist join Tyler to discuss their recent publication in JVSTA about Green CVD. The trio talk about the conception of a new research field which concerns creating more sustainable thin film deposition practices without sacrificing film quality and offers some perspective on a number of areas and strategies addressed in the manuscript. Read the paper here: https://avs.scitation.org/doi/10.1116/6.0001125

ALD Precursor Design for Hard to Deposit Metals with Chuck Winter - ALD Stories Ep. 6

Tyler sits down with Wayne State University’s Chuck Winter to talk about his approach to designing precursors for ALD. Chuck explains what makes a good ALD precursor and how elegant organic chemistry can enable ALD processes for hard-to-deposit metals, like cobalt and aluminum. Learn more about Chuck’s research here: http://www.clas.wayne.edu/wintergroup/ Papers mentioned in this episode: https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.chemmater.7b02456 - Co metal ALD https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.chemmater...

ALD Precursor Design for Hard to Deposit Metals - ALD Stories Ep. 6

Tyler sits down with Wayne State University’s Chuck Winter to talk about his approach to designing precursors for ALD. Chuck explains what makes a good ALD precursor and how elegant organic chemistry can enable ALD processes for hard-to-deposit metals, like cobalt and aluminum. Learn more about Chuck’s research here: http://www.clas.wayne.edu/wintergroup/ Papers mentioned in this episode: https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.chemmater.7b02456 - Co metal ALD https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.chemmater...

ALD Precursor Design for Hard to Deposit Metals - ALD Stories Ep. 6

Tyler sits down with Wayne State University’s Chuck Winter to talk about his approach to designing precursors for ALD. Chuck explains what makes a good ALD precursor and how elegant organic chemistry can enable ALD processes for hard-to-deposit metals, like cobalt and aluminum. Learn more about Chuck’s research here: http://www.clas.wayne.edu/wintergroup/ Papers mentioned in this episode: https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.chemmater.7b02456 - Co metal ALD https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.chemmater...

Meet Dr. Katja Väyrynen

On this episode of the ALD Stories podcast, We speak to Dr. Katja Väyrynen, Process Development Engineer at Beneq. What is the latest ALD research on improving the performance of microchips? Will cobalt become a popular material in semiconductor manufacturing? Hear her academic journey below.

BALD Engineering Blog

In this episode we speak to Dr. Jonas Sundqvist, founder of BALD Engineering Blog and a senior researcher and consultant of ALD/ CVD processes.

ALD and nanotubes

In Episode 3 of ALD Stories, we meet with Professor Jan Macak from the University of Pardubice. Hear his findings on ALD as an exceptional way to tailor the functionality of nanostructures, and the overlooked steps for making the perfect TiO2 nanotube.

ALD and Nanotubes

In Episode 3 of ALD Stories, we meet with Professor Jan Macak from the University of Pardubice. Hear his findings on ALD as an exceptional way to tailor the functionality of nanostructures, and the overlooked steps for making the perfect TiO2 nanotube.

History of ALD

We meet Professor Riikka Puurunen of Aalto University in Finland, and discuss the history of ALD and other topics close to her heart.  You may also wish to check out the articles we mentioned on this episode:  A Short History of Atomic Layer Deposition: Tuomo Suntola's Atomic Layer Epitaxy, Riikka Puurunen https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/cvde.201402012   From V. B. Aleskovskii's “Framework” Hypothesis to the Method of Molecular Layering/Atomic Layer Deposition, Anatolii A...

ALD and Electrochromic Windows

In the first episode, we are joined by Patrick Gonzalez an expert in high-performance thin films. We discuss about using spatial ALD on electrochromic windows for environmental and cooling cost benefits.

ALD and Glass Windows

In the first episode, we are joined by Patrick Gonzalez an expert in high-performance thin films. We discuss about using spatial ALD on electrochromic windows for environmental and cooling cost benefits.

ALD and Photochromatic Windows

In the first episode, we are joined by Patrick Gonzalez an expert in high-performance thin films. We discuss about using spatial ALD on photochromatic glass for environmental and cooling cost benefits.

ALD stories Episode 1: ALD and Photochromatic Windows

In the first episode, we are joined by Patrick Gonzalez an expert in high-performance thin films. We discuss about using spatial ALD on photochromatic glass for environmental and cooling cost benefits.