Stay curious. Follow the evidence.

When a lower growth rate reaches farther

11 September 2026 · arXiv preprint. Gonsalves and coauthors combine diffusion–reaction modelling with ZnO experiments to examine how reduced growth per cycle can improve penetration in high-aspect-ratio structures. The result invites a different view of process efficiency when conformality is the objective.

• Research question: should maximum growth per cycle always be the target?
• Read as a preprint; conclusions apply to the studied conditions.

Fitting the gate stack into a 3D transistor

7 September 2026 · imec research update. A report on CFET integration explains work on backside contacts and a dipole-based gate stack for threshold-voltage tuning. It shows why a thin-film recipe must be evaluated within the complete device process.

• Research question: how do interfaces and thermal budgets constrain layer design?

Selective surface removal for superconducting films

2025 · Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology A. Hossain and coauthors report an NbN ALE process based on separate plasma oxidation and removal steps. The work connects surface chemistry with the need to limit processing damage in superconducting devices; an author manuscript is openly available.

• Research question: can removal selectivity preserve a functional material?

Surface chemistry through the TMA/water example

2005 · Puurunen's foundational review organizes the chemistry behind a widely studied alumina process, including reaction saturation, steric effects, and the interpretation of growth per cycle.

How to describe conformality

2019 · Cremers, Puurunen, and Dendooven review the measurement and modelling of ALD coverage in three-dimensional structures. A useful reference for linking geometry, transport, and surface reactions.

ALD & ALE tutorial topics

28 June 2026 · AVS tutorial abstracts. An overview of the teaching topics from the 2026 meeting, including precursor chemistry and atomic-scale processing. This PDF is an abstract collection, rather than a complete course.

ALD for manufacturable 3D energy storage

19 December 2024 · U.S. DOE funding selection. A University of Maryland project with Forge Nano targets the translation of ALD processes into manufacturing-scale tools for microfabricated energy-storage structures. The announcement describes a research objective, rather than a completed commercial result.

A coating route is part of the material

6 November 2019 · PNNL publication. Comparing ALD and wet-chemical alumina coatings on the same cathode chemistry highlights how synthesis and heat treatment influence the resulting interface. A useful reminder when comparing nominally identical coating materials.

AVS ALD / ALE community

The 2026 ALD conference and ALE workshop took place in Tampa from 28 June to 1 July. Its program remains a useful map of the field, and the organizer's site also lists future meeting information.

AVS Thin Films program

The AVS 72 Thin Films program connects film fundamentals with microelectronics, battery interfaces, and atomic-scale processing. Explore the technical sessions to find related methods and communities beyond your immediate specialty.