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US 8,152,922 B2Granted
Gas mixer and manifold assembly for ALD reactor
AssigneeASM America, Inc.
InventorsRyan M. Schmidt, Mohith Verghese
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system and method for mixing a plurality of gases for an atomic layer deposition (ALD) reactor. The mixer is configured to mix the plurality of gases while minimizing the potential for re-circulation within the mixer. The mixer is further configured to maintain the flow velocity of the plurality of gases as the gases pass through the mixer.
Claims26
A mixer for mixing a first gas with a second gas in a reactor, the mixer comprising:
- a housing;
- a chamber located within the housing, the chamber having a flow axis through the housing and a first cross-sectional area perpendicular to the flow axis, wherein the flow axis is an axis along which gases exit the chamber;
- an outlet port from the chamber, the outlet port being aligned with the flow axis and having a second cross-sectional area perpendicular to the flow axis and downstream of the first cross-sectional area, the cross-sectional area of the outlet port being less than the cross-sectional area of the chamber;
- a first inlet in fluid communication with the chamber, the first inlet configured to introduce a first gas into the chamber at an angle of at least 45 degrees relative to the flow axis;
- and
- a second inlet in fluid communication with the chamber, the second inlet configured to introduce a second gas into the chamber at an angle of at least 45 degrees relative to the flow axis.
3 more elements
A mixer for receiving pulses of gas for use during atomic layer deposition (ALD), the mixer comprising:
- a housing having a first mixing surface and an opposing second mixing surface, wherein the first and second mixing surfaces form an annular passage therebetween about a flow axis, the flow axis being formed along an axis from which gases exit the housing;
- a first inlet in fluid communication with the annular passage;
- a second inlet in fluid communication with the annular passage, wherein the first and second inlets introduce gases into the annular passage in a normal manner relative to the flow axis.
An atomic layer deposition (ALD) thin film deposition apparatus, comprising:
- a housing having a flow axis, wherein the flow axis is an axis along which gases exit the housing;
- a passage located within the housing, wherein a plurality of gases are mixable within the passage;
- a reaction chamber operatively connected to, and in flow communication with, the passage, wherein the reaction chamber is configured to deposit a thin film on a wafer located therein;
- a first reactant gas line configured to introduce a first reactant gas into the passage at an angle of at least 45 degrees relative to the flow axis;
- a second reactant gas line configured to introduce a second reactant gas into the passage at an angle of at least 45 degrees relative to the flow axis, wherein the first and second reactant gases mix within the passage;
- a first buffer gas line in flow communication with the second reactant gas line at a first coupling and configured to supply a first portion of a first buffer gas to the passage via the second reactant gas line, where the first buffer gas selectively impedes the second reactant gas from reaching the passage.
3 more elements
A mixer for mixing a first gas with a second gas in a vapor deposition reactor, the mixer comprising:
- an upstream member comprising,
- an insert member having a base, a distal end, and a first mixing surface located between the base and the distal end,
- a second mixing surface located parallel to a portion of the first mixing surface and defining at least a portion of an annular passage about a flow axis with the first mixing surface,
- a trough circumscribing the base and connecting the first mixing surface with the second mixing surface, the trough forming a transition surface between the first and second mixing surfaces,
- an inlet;
- and
- a downstream member in flow communication with the upstream member and having a generally tapering inner surface, the first and second mixing surfaces, the trough, and the tapering inner surface together forming at least a portion of a chamber, the annular passage forming at least a portion of the chamber.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.