Sunday 31 July 2016

ALD 2016: Travel notes

Updated 28.8.2016

The 16th International Conference on Atomic Layer Deposition ALD2016 (http://www.ald2016.ie), including the 3rd International Workshop on Atomic Layer Etching, was organized in Dublin, Ireland, July 24-27, 2016. I had a pleasure to participate at the conference as a speaker, poster presenter, and as an International Programme Committee member. This blog post shares my travel notes from conference, thereby continuing my series on travel notes first written for the ALD Russia 2015 workshop and thereafter for Baltic ALD 2015, my St Petersburg visit Nov 2015, and HERALD Helsinki seminar May 2016.

ALD 2016 conference chairs Simon Elliott and Jonas Sundqvist. Photo from Twitter, @jv3sund

Since the first American Vacuum Society Topical Conference on Atomic Layer Deposition  in Monterey CA 2001, the international ALD conference series organized every odd year in USA by the AVS and every even year outside USA in collaboration with AVS, has evolved into a major event that provides the best possible snapshot of ALD at the forefront of science at academia and industry alike. There were more than 800 registered participants at the meeting, of which about 50% were industrial; and about 400 presentations, of which about 10% were industrial. The conference lasted for three days and comprised maximum four parallel sessions and two days of poster sessions. All presentations were recorded and will be made available on a DVD after the conference (past DVDs can be bought from AVS by contacting heather@ avs.org).

ALD 2016 Ireland was co-chaired by Dr. Simon Elliott (Tyndall National Institute, Ireland) and Dr. Jonas Sundqvist (Lund University, Sweden). Invited/plenary speakers at the ALD conference were: Raymond Adomaitis (University of Maryland, USA), Robert Clark (TEL America, USA), Byung Joon Choi (Seoul National University of Science and Technology, Korea), Mike Cooke (Oxford Instruments, UK), Jolien Dendooven (University of Ghent, Belgium), Michael Gros-Jean (STMicroelectronics, France), Joseph Hupp (Northwestern University, Illinois, USA), Ying-Bing Jian (University of New Mexico / Angstrom Thin Film Technologies LLC, USA), John Langan (Air Products, California, USA),  Anatoly Malygin (St. Petersburg State Technological Institute, Russia), Yongfeng Mei (Fudan University, China), and Lars Samuelson (Lund University, Sweden). Before the actual conference, on Sunday, a tutorial session was organized. Speakers were: Sumit Agarwal (Colorado School of Mines, USA), Sean Barry (Carleton University, Canada), Annelies Delabie (IMEC, KU Leuven), Keren Kanarik (LAM Research), Fred Roozeboom (TU Eindhoven, The Netherlands),  Massimo Tallarida (Alba, Spain), and Stephan Wege (plasway-technologies, Germany). Invited/plenary speakers at the ALE workshop were: Ankur Agarwal (Applied Materials, USA), Steven George (University of Colorado, Boulder), Akira Koshiishi (Tokyo Electron), Dennis van Dorp (IMEC), Kazunori Shinoda (Hitachi Hi-Tech).

The ALD conference started by handing out an ALD Innovation prize, which this year was given to Dr. Suvi Haukka, ASM, Finland. Suvi Haukka has worked with ALD in Finland since 1990, starting at Microchemistry Ltd. with Tuomo Suntola, ALD's Finnish inventor. Suvi Haukka has greatly influenced the adoption of ALD in the semiconductor industry and at the same time critically advanced the understanding of ALD surface chemistry. Suvi Haukka holds over 100 patents and has written many influental academic publications. A great many of us working with ALD know Suvi personally. For myself, Suvi has played a major role during my early days in ALD research as she guided my M. Sc. thesis work, then at Microchemistry. The ALD Innovation prize went to the right person: warmest congratulations to Dr. Suvi Haukka! It would be great if we could later hear/read about her views on the development of ALD in an interview by Finnish and/or international media. (Update 28.8.2016: More regarding the prize in a separate ALD History Blog post and a follow-up post in "Ed's Threads" at http://semimd.com/blogs/.)

In addition to the major ALD Innovation prize, several smaller prizes were given as recognitions at the gala dinner at the end of the conference. The conference participants voted for the Best Highlight Talk at the conference from a list of most highly rated abstracts: congratulations to Marissa Kerrigan (Wayne State University, USA) for getting the prize. Prizes were also given out for three best student presentations and three best posters.  

The European HERALD COST MP1402 network http://www.european-ald.net/ coordinated by Dr. Simon Elliott (ALD 2016 co-chair) was present at ALD 2016 Ireland through a dedicated session including an industry panel discussion. While HERALD is a European network, it actively welcomes members worldwide. The industry panel was first of its kind and professionally facilitated by Dr. Jonas Sundqvist (ALD 2016 co-chair, ALD networker through LinkedIn and BALD Engineering ALD Blog). Participants in the industry panel, who carried out very interesting and timely discussions, were: Dr. Suvi Haukka (ASM Microchemistry, Finland), Dr. David Thompson (Applied Materials, USA), Dr. Jean-Marc Girard (Air Liquide, France), Prof. Mikko Ritala (University of Helsinki, Finland) and Prof. Fred Roozeboom (Eindhoven University of Technology / TNO - Solliance, The Netherlands). Notably, Fred Roozeboom brought up the idea of a round robin test for ALD. A round robin test is something that Fred and I have discussed earlier, and which I would personally like to advance. At the end of the HERALD session, the HERALD white paper on Atomic-Layer Processing was announced. 

In addition to the excellent scientific session, the ALD 2016 conference hosted a covering industrial exhibition. As listed from http://ald2016.com/exhibitors/ (Jul 31, 2016), the exhibitors were: Annealsys, ctechnano, Digital Speciality Chemicals, Dock Chemicals, EpiValence,  Ereztech, EAG Laboratories, Film Sense, Gelest,  HIDEN analytical, Horiba, iontof, iCAM engineering, Impedans Plasma Measurement, Japan Advanced Chemicals, KEMStream, kitz-sct, Kurt K. Lesker, LOT QuantumDesign, MEAglow, Norquay Technology,  Nova-Kem, Novati Technologies,  NSI, Okyay Tech,  Pall Corporation, Picosun, Plasma Electronic, RASIRC, SEMILAB, SENTECH, SiSTEM Technology,  STREM Chemicals,  Swagelock, tascon. Beneq was exhibiting, too. There was at least one first-timer among the exhibitors: Finnish Special Glass, who have been partners of Suntola and other Finnish ALD users since the very early days of ALD in the 1970s (then, atomic layer epitaxy). 

The ALD 2016 conference had plenty of sponsors. As listed from http://ald2016.com/ (Jul 31, 2016), the sponsors were as follows. ALD Platinum Sponsors: Air Liquide, Air Products, Applied Materials, ASM, Beneq, East Bay Community Foundation, LAM Research, Merck, Oxford Instruments, PicosunTMEIC, Ultratech/CNT. ALD Gold Sponsors: Adeka, Arradiance, FujikinTCLC, UPChem. ALD Silver Sponsors: Finnish SpecialGlass, Entegris, intel, mks, MSP, Pegasus. ALD Bronze Sponsors: J. A. Woollam, MNT, ValquA America. ALE Platinum sponsors: Applied Materials, Hitach High-Tech, LAM Research, NPC, TEL Tokyo Electron.

New to the conference was the use and promotion of Twitter as a means for communication before, during and after the conference. The common twitter "hashtag", really a keyword, for atomic layer deposition is #ALDep, and for this conference, #ALD2016 was used (some initial trials were made with #ALD16). More on the hashtags in the recent ALD History Blog page and blog post, and advice for novel Twitter users (undoubtedly there will be many after ALD 2016) in a separate blog post. A small Twitter competition was organized, and the winner was Henrik Pedersen. Henrik is a long-time active twitter user, and I think that the prize went to the right person. Henrik (@hacp81) updates a list of ALD-related tweeters, you can access it at https://twitter.com/hacp81/lists/ald.   

From the viewpoint of the Virtual Project on the History of ALD (VPHA), the conference was a great step ahead regarding the improved understanding of the two independent inventions of ALD (Atomic Layer Epitaxy and Molecular Layering). As discussed in more detail in a recent post in the ALD History Blog, it was very important that Prof Anatoly Malygin delivered an invited plenary talk at ALD 2016. (Maybe we'll later get his slides to be shared through http://vph-ald.com/ALD-history-publications.html.) ALD 2016 was the first time ever that a person representing the branch of "old Russian ALD works" has presented a talk at the international ALD conferences. (V. E. Drozd did give an invited talk at Baltic ALD 2014, Helsinki, http://www.aldcoe.fi/bald2014/.) In VPHA's ALD-history-evolving-file, Malygin's first ALD publication is from year 1970, and he has worked with ALD ever since. Malygin is an author of the "ML essay" published recently (Chem. Vap. Deposition 21 (2015) 216-240) and also of the "Early work on atomic layer deposition cited" published well over a decade ago (Solid State Technology, 2002, March, p. 14). Also it was important that VPHA presented a poster with a "recommended reading list of early ALD publications", as a collaboration of 70 scientists as co-authors from 19 countries (click for: abstractposter, flash presentation slides, and a Periscope video record that was live-streamed during the conference (excuses for the poor quality)). The poster is outcome #9 in the Publication Plan of VPHA. Clearly, since its launch in July 2013, VPHA has paved the way for Malygin's invited talk. Also, for increased understanding, it was important that people could meet face to face, VPHA co-authors getting to know each other and many people having the first contact with Prof Malygin. VPHA is carried out in an atmosphere of Openness, Respect, and Trust, and at least I felt that the ALD 2016 conference was organized in much of the same, inclusive spirit. VPHA is not completed yet and more people are welcome to join the reading effort; if you would like to join, please let us know by sending an email to info@ vph-ald.com.  

All in all: this was a very interesting and useful conference with a warm, pleasant and friendly atmosphere. The 17th International Conference on Atomic Layer Deposition - featuring the Atomic Layer Etching workshop - will be organized on July 15-18, Denver, Colorado, with Dr. Chuck Dezelah and Prof. John Conley as co-chairs. I have created a dedicated ALD History Blog page to keep track of the important dates of this conference as well as of other ALD-related conferences to come. See you next time!

Espoo, June 31, 2016
Riikka Puurunen

---
Updates to the travel report made after initial publishing, July 30.

  • Aug 1, 2016. ALE workshop invited speakers added to the list of invited speakers. 
  • Aug 14, 2016. Note added of the invited talk by Drozd at the Baltic ALD 2014 conference in Helsinki. 
  • Aug 27, 2016. Photo of Keren Kanarik tutorial added. Signature added (originally forgotten).
  • Aug 28, 2016. Addition regarding Suvi Haukka's prize: "(Update 28.8.2016: More regarding the prize in a separate ALD History Blog post and a follow-up post in "Ed's Threads" at http://semimd.com/blogs/.)"

--- Photos from the conference ---

Empty terminal in HEL airport. Time to work for a while before flight to Dublin conference leaves. Riikka Puurunen @rlpuu in Twitter. 


She wheeled her wheel-barrow, Through streets broad and narrow ... Happy to meet Molly Malone in :) . @rlpuu in TwitterPhoto by Riikka Puurunen. 

Finally! Prof Anatoly Malygin from , 1st author of "ML-" essay, among invited speakers. Riikka Puurunen @rlpuu in Twitter. 

Had a look at the programme during the flight... Plasma-mystery at P-02-016 on Tuesday evening! Riikka Puurunen @rlpuu in Twitter

conference bag contents. Many sponsors! Riikka Puurunen @rlpuu in Twitter.


Full house at the excellent tutorial session of conference. Must be >300 people present.  Riikka Puurunen @rlpuu in Twitter.

One more photo, : Keren Kanarik , co-chair of , giving the excellent tutorial. Riikka Puurunen @rlpuu in Twitter (posted 22.8.2016)

Great tutorial on complicated reactant development by at . Riikka Puurunen @rlpuu in Twitter.



Get-together at Guinness Storehouse with good food&company and live-played Molly Malone as farewell song :). Riikka Puurunen @rlpuu in Twitter

As if the entrance would be on the wrong side... Left-sided traffic at Ireland. Riikka Puurunen @rlpuu in Twitter.

poster is up at Ireland. P01-001. Pitch to come about 15:45 - follow in Twitter. Riikka Puurunen @rlpuu in  Twitter.
Opening of by Kieran Drain CEO Tyndall National Institute Riikka Puurunen @rlpuu in  Twitter.

History of ALD Innovation Prize, as shared by Gregory Parsons. The prize has been earlier given to: 2011 Roy Gordon (Harvard University); 2012 Markku Leskelä (University of Helsinki); 2013 Steven George (University of Colorado), 2014 Hyeongtag Jeon (Hanyang University), 2015 Gregory Parsons (North Carolina State University). Photo by Riikka Puurunen. 

Gregory Parsons describing the person soon to get the ALD Innovation Prize. Photo by Riikka Puurunen.

Greg Parsons handing Suvi Haukka the ALD innovation prize. Photo by Riikka Puurunen. @rlpuu in Twitter innovation price to Dr Suvi Haukka, now at ASM, earlier Microchemistry with . Well deserved!


Gregory Parsons introduces the plenary speaker, Prof Anatoly Malygin, whom he first met at ALD Russia 2015.  Photo by Riikka Puurunen. 

On stage: plenary talk, Anatoly Malygin, St. Petersburg. Photo by Riikka Puurunen. @rlpuu in TwitterAt : invited speaker Prof Anatoly Malygin. Humidity indicators, gas permeation barriers, catalysts...
Robert Clark, TEL America. Photo by Riikka Puurunen. @rlpuu in Twitter: At : excellent invited talk by Robert D Clark, TEL, about the scaling of "atomic scale technology"


. gave an interesting yet complex invited talk on chemical kinetics & modelling. Riikka Puurunen @rlpuu in Twitter
Great talk by at on InN deposition by / with 's chemicals. Riikka Puurunen @rlpuu in Twitter. 

Matti Putkonen from : for fuel cells utilising fiber matts Riikka Puurunen @rlpuu in Twitter.

The Finnish Salty Licorice bar at Finnish Special Glass at the exhibition - just awesome! . Henrik Pedersen @hacp81 in Twitter.  

This is another face of Dublin. Photo by Riikka Puurunen.


Place a lid to your coffee cup before stepping on the escalator! This I will remember from ALD 2016 Ireland for sure :). Photo by Riikka Puurunen


HERALD industry panel. Dr. Suvi Haukka (ASM Microchemistry, Finland), Dr. David Thompson (Applied Materials, USA), Dr. Jean-Marc Girard (Air Liquide, France), Prof. Mikko Ritala (University of Helsinki, Finland) and Prof. Fred Roozeboom (Eindhoven University of Technology / TNO - Solliance, The Netherlands). Dr. Jonas Sundqvist facilitating. Photo by Riikka Puurunen.

A view on Wendesday at the exhibition hall after the posters have left. Photo by Riikka Puurunen.



Suddenly I understand why the flowers look so good in . They get water every day... (On the way to hotel). Riikka Puurunen @rlpuu in Twitter 


A view from the hotel window. These beasts are no Pokemons! Photo by Riikka Puurunen
Jouni Ahopelto presented the poster on record-conformal TiN at . Tested with PillarHall(R). Riikka Puurunen @rlpuu in Twitter.

Nice talk on stress in AlN films by and . Important area for future research. . Henrik Pedersen @hacp81 in Twitter.

Oili Ylivaara had one of the last talks at the conference, on thin film residual stress. Riikka Puurunen @rlpuu in Twitter.
ALD professors from St Petersburg in the audience: Anatoly Malygin and Vladimir Smirnov. Co-authors in the "ML essay" (Chem. Vap. Deposition 21 (2015) 216-240) and "Early work on atomic layer deposition cited" (Solid State Technology, 2002, March, p. 14). Photo by Riikka Puurunen.

Excellent local Irish entertainment at the gala dinner: Riverdance. Riikka Puurunen @rlpuu in Twitter.


Marissa Kerrigan : best highlight talk as voted by attendees. precursor chemistry. Riikka Puurunen @rlpuu in Twitter

Here is one pic: the tweeting king and before the prize. # credit  Riikka Puurunen @rlpuu in Twitter.

Prize for the best tweet at goes to ... Henrik Pedersen ! Riikka Puurunen @rlpuu in Twitter 

Stage time for the chairs of next year: Chuck Dezelah and John Conley. Photo by Riikka Puurunen. 

Dublin and the Convention Centre by night. Photo by Riikka Puurunen. 

Ireland from the air. Photo by Riikka Puurunen.


Finland from the air: woods, lakes, and a river. Some houses, too. Photo by Riikka Puurunen.

My name was written all correctly this time. Thanks! Photo by Riikka Puurunen.

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Virtual Project on the History of ALD (VPHA) - in atmosphere of Openness, Respect, and Trust

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