Conformality of thermal and plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition on a non-woven fibrous substrate

Alumina was deposited on a non-woven polyester fiber substrate using both thermal and plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition (ALD). The textile was confined inside a one dimensional test structure. The coverage of the ALD film on the nonwoven as a function of depth in the test structure was determined by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). A model is introduced which links the precursor transport in the nonwoven (transmission, reflection and deposition) with the nonwoven properties (density, fiber surface area, density of surface sites). The experimental results are compared to simulations of the coverage profile. It is shown that longer precursor exposure times result in deposition deeper inside the nonwoven. However, the majority of precursor molecules entering the nonwoven leave the test structure without contributing to film growth. ALD from TMA and oxygen plasma had a very limited penetration into the nonwoven because of radical recombination. This effect is relevant for plasma treatment of fibrous materials in general.