Gas mixer and manifold assembly for ALD reactor

1. A method of performing atomic layer deposition (ALD) in a deposition chamber, the method comprising:

forming a first gas buffer in a first gas line so as to prevent a first gas from reaching a housing, the housing having a first generally tapered surface to form a mixing chamber therein, wherein the first gas is selectively flowable into the mixing chamber;

flowing a second gas through a second gas line and into the mixing chamber while the first gas buffer is formed;

mixing the second gas with a third gas in the mixing chamber to form a first gas mixture;

swirling the first gas mixture in the mixing chamber;

flowing the first gas mixture into a deposition chamber; and

contacting a substrate in the deposition chamber with at least a portion of the first gas mixture.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising, after contacting:

purging an unused portion of the first gas mixture from the deposition chamber.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising, after contacting the substrate with the first gas mixture:

forming a second gas buffer in the second gas line so as to prevent the second gas from reaching the mixing chamber;

flowing the first gas through the first gas line and into the mixing chamber while the second gas buffer is formed;

mixing the first gas with the third gas in the mixing chamber to form a second gas mixture;

swirling the second gas mixture in the mixing chamber;

flowing the second gas mixture into the deposition chamber;

contacting the substrate in the deposition chamber with at least a portion of the second gas mixture; and

purging an unused portion of the second gas mixture from the deposition chamber.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein flowing the second gas through the second gas line and into the mixing chamber further comprises introducing the second gas into the mixing chamber at an angle of at least 45 degrees relative to a flow axis.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein flowing the second gas through the second gas line and into the mixing chamber further comprises introducing the second gas into the mixing chamber at an angle of 90 degrees relative to a flow axis.

6. A method of performing atomic layer deposition (ALD) in a deposition chamber, the method comprising:

providing a housing having a flow axis, an inner surface defining a mixing chamber, a first cross-sectional area of the mixing chamber substantially perpendicular to the flow axis, and a second cross-sectional area of the mixing chamber substantially perpendicular to the flow axis, wherein the flow axis is an axis along which gases exit the mixing chamber, and wherein the second cross-sectional area is disposed downstream of the first cross-sectional area and is smaller than the first cross-sectional area;

introducing a first gas into the mixing chamber at a first angle relative to the flow axis;

introducing a second gas into the mixing chamber at a second angle relative to the flow axis;

preventing a third gas that is selectively flowable into the mixing chamber from entering the mixing chamber;

mixing the second gas and the first gas in the mixing chamber in the absence of the third gas to form a first gas mixture; and

flowing the first gas mixture of the first gas and the second gas out of the mixing chamber along the flow axis and into a deposition chamber;

contacting a wafer disposed in the deposition chamber with a portion of the first gas mixture; and

exhausting an unused portion of the first gas mixture from the deposition chamber.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising swirling the first gas and the second gas in the mixing chamber and around the flow axis.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the first angle is 90 degrees.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein the first angle is at least 45 degrees.

10. The method of claim 6 , wherein the second angle is 90 degrees.

11. The method of claim 6 , wherein the second angle is at least 45 degrees.

12. The method of claim 6 , wherein the first angle is the same as the second angle.

13. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

purging the deposition chamber while exhausting the unused portion of the mixture;

stopping introduction of the first gas into the mixing chamber while purging the deposition chamber;

subsequent to stopping introduction of the first gas, introducing the third gas into the mixing chamber and mixing with the second gas in the absence of the first gas to form a second gas mixture; and

flowing the second gas mixture of the third gas and the second gas out of the mixing chamber along the flow axis and into the deposition chamber;

contacting the wafer with a portion of the second gas mixture; and

exhausting an unused portion of the second gas mixture from the deposition chamber.

14. The method of claim 6 , wherein the mixing chamber is outside the deposition chamber.

15. A method for mixing pulses of gas for use during atomic layer deposition (ALD), the method comprising:

providing 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, and wherein at least a first reactant gas, a second reactant gas, and a buffer gas are selectively flowable into the annular passage;

introducing the first reactant gas into the annular passage perpendicular to the flow axis;

introducing the first buffer gas into the annular passage perpendicular to the flow axis;

mixing the first buffer gas and the first reactant gas in the housing in the absence of further reactants to form a first mixture; and

flowing the first mixture of the first reactant gas and the first buffer gas out of the housing along the flow axis; and

contacting a wafer with at least a portion of the first mixture.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising swirling the first reactant gas and the first buffer gas in the annular passage and around the flow axis.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein swirling the first reactant gas and the first buffer gas in the housing and around the flow axis further comprises flowing the mixture in a channel, the channel being at least partially defined by first and second mixing surfaces and a trough forming a transition surface between the first and second mixing surfaces.

18. The method of claim 15 , further comprising flowing the first mixture into a deposition chamber housing the wafer.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising:

exhausting an unused portion of the first mixture from the deposition chamber; and

purging the deposition chamber.

20. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

stopping introduction of the first reactant gas into the annular passage;

introducing a second reactant gas into the annular passage perpendicular to the flow axis while the first reactant gas is stopped;

introducing a second buffer gas into the annular passage perpendicular to the flow axis;

mixing the second reactant gas and the second buffer gas in the housing in the absence of further reactants to form a second mixture; and

flowing the second mixture of the second reactant gas and the second buffer gas out of the housing; and

reacting the second mixture with a surface of the wafer left by the first ALD reaction.