Depositing material with antimicrobial properties on permeable substrate using atomic layer deposition

Abstract

Embodiments relate to depositing a layer of antimicrobial material such as silver on a permeable substrate using atomic layer deposition (ALD). A deposition device includes two injectors that inject source precursor, reactant precursor, purge gas or a combination thereof onto the permeable substrate that passes between the injectors. Part of the gas injected by an injector penetrates the permeable substrate and is discharged by the other injector. The remaining gas injected by the injector moves in parallel to the surface of the permeable substrate and is discharged via an exhaust portion formed on the same injector. While penetrating the substrate or moving in parallel to the surface, the source precursor or the reactant precursor becomes absorbed on the substrate or react with precursor already present on the substrate to deposit the antimicrobial material on the substrate.

1 . A method of depositing silver or a silver compound on a permeable substrate, comprising:
 injecting source precursor for performing atomic layer deposition (ALD) on a portion of the permeable substrate by a source injector;   injecting reactant precursor for performing ALD on the portion of the permeable substrate by a reactant injector, the reactant precursor in conjunction with the source precursor on the permeable substrate forming the silver or the silver compound on the permeable substrate; and   causing relative movement of the permeable substrate relative to the source injector and the reactant injector to inject the source precursor and the reactant precursor on another portion of the permeable substrate.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the source precursor comprises at least one of Ag(fod)(PEt 3 ) (fod=2,2-dimethyl-6,6,7,7,8,8,8-heptafluorooctane-3,5-dionato) or (2,2-dimethylpropionato)silver(I)triethylphosphine: Ag(DMP)(TEP). 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the silver compound comprises at least one of Ag X Al 1-X , Ag X Al 1-X O, Ag X Si 1-X , Ag X Si 1-X O, Ag X Ni 1-X , Ag X Ni 1-X O, Ag X Ti 1-X , or Ag X Ti 1-X O. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the reactant precursor is H* radicals. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising depositing an intermediate layer on the permeable substrate before forming the silver or the silver compound on the permeable substrate. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the intermediate layer comprises at least one of SiO 2 , Al 2 O 3  or TiO 2 . 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising depositing a diffusion barrier on the formed silver or the silver compound. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the diffusion barrier comprises at least one of SiO 2 , Al 2 O 3  or TiO 2 . 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising forming nano-sized bumps by inducing self-agglomeration of the formed silver or the silver compound. 
     
     
         10 . An antimicrobial article of manufacture, comprising:
 a permeable substrate; and   silver or a silver compound deposited on the permeable substrate by performing atomic layer deposition, the atomic layer deposition performed by injecting source precursor on a portion of the permeable substrate and injecting reactant precursor forming the silver or the silver compound in conjunction with the source precursor on the portion of the permeable substrate.   
     
     
         11 . The antimicrobial article of  claim 10 , wherein the source precursor comprises at least one of Ag(fod)(PEt 3 ) (fod=2,2-dimethyl-6,6,7,7,8,8,8-heptafluorooctane-3,5-dionato) or (2,2-dimethylpropionato)silver(I)triethylphosphine: Ag(DMP)(TEP). 
     
     
         12 . The antimicrobial article of  claim 10 , wherein the silver compound comprises at least one of Ag X Al 1-X , Ag X Al 1-X O, Ag X Si 1-X , Ag X Si 1-X O, Ag X Ni 1-X , Ag X Ni 1-X O, Ag X Ti 1-X , or Ag X Tl 1-X O. 
     
     
         13 . The antimicrobial article of  claim 10 , wherein the reactant precursor is H* radicals. 
     
     
         14 . The antimicrobial article of  claim 10 , further comprising an intermediate layer deposited between the permeable substrate and the silver or the silver compound. 
     
     
         15 . The antimicrobial article of  claim 14 , wherein the intermediate layer comprises at least one of SiO 2 , Al 2 O 3  or TiO 2 . 
     
     
         16 . The antimicrobial article of  claim 10 , further comprising a diffusion barrier deposited on the silver or the silver compound. 
     
     
         17 . The antimicrobial article of  claim 16 , wherein the diffusion barrier comprises at least one of SiO 2 , Al 2 O 3  or TiO 2 . 
     
     
         18 . The antimicrobial article of  claim 10 , further comprising nano-sized bumps formed by inducing self-agglomeration of the formed silver or the silver compound. 
     
     
         19 . A deposition device for depositing silver or a silver compound on a permeable substrate, comprising:
 a source injector configured to inject source precursor on a portion of the permeable substrate;   a reactant injector configured to generate and inject radicals onto the portion of the permeable substrate injected with the source precursor, the reactant injector formed with a chamber for receiving gas and comprising electrodes for generating plasma in the chamber by application of voltage difference across the electrodes, the radicals in conjunction with the source precursor on the permeable substrate forming silver or a silver compound on the permeable substrate by atomic layer deposition (ALD); and   a mechanism for causing relative movement of the permeable substrate relative to the source injector and the reactant injector to form silver or the silver compound on other portions of the permeable substrate.   
     
     
         20 . The deposition device of  claim 19 , further comprising another injector at an opposite side of the permeable substrate to inject the source precursor or the radicals on the permeable substrate, at least part of the source precursor or the radicals injected by the source injector or the reactant injector discharged via the other injector.