The Consequences of Random Sequential Adsorption for the Precursor Packing and Growth-Per-Cycle of Atomic Layer Deposition Processes.

Atomic layer deposition (ALD) processes are known to deposit submonolayers of material per cycle, primarily attributed to steric hindrance and a limited number of surface sites. However, an often-overlooked factor is the random sequential adsorption (RSA) mechanism, where precursor molecules arrive one-by-one and adsorb at random surface sites. Consequently, the saturation coverage of precursors significantly deviates from ideal closed packing.