Systems and methods for atomic layer deposition

1. An atomic layer deposition (ALD) method comprising:

pulsing a first reactant vapor into a reactor assembly, the pulsing comprising:

supplying the first reactant vapor to a first reactant gas line;

supplying an inactive gas to a first inactive gas line at a first flow rate; and

feeding the first reactant vapor and the inactive gas to the reactor assembly by way of a first feed line; and

purging the reactor assembly, the purging comprising:

supplying the inactive gas to the first inactive gas line at a second flow rate that is higher than the first flow rate;

feeding a first portion of the inactive gas back along a diffusion barrier portion of the first reactant gas line to provide an inert gas valve (IGV) upstream of the first inactive gas line; and

feeding a second portion of the inactive gas to the reactor assembly by way of the first feed line.

2. The ALD method of claim 1 , further comprising applying suction to the first inactive gas line and to the first reactant line by way of a bypass line connected to a vacuum source.

3. The ALD method of claim 2 , further comprising, during the pulsing, suctioning the inactive gas from the first inactive gas line through the bypass line at a third flow rate.

4. The ALD method of claim 3 , during the purging, closing a bypass line valve to withdraw the suctioning from the first inactive gas line.

5. The ALD method of claim 4 , further comprising:

pulsing a second reactant vapor into the reactor assembly, the pulsing the second reactant vapor comprising:

supplying the second reactant vapor to a second reactant gas line;

supplying the inactive gas to a second inactive gas line at a fourth flow rate; and

feeding the second reactant vapor and the inactive gas to the reactor assembly by way of a second feed line; and

additionally purging the reactor assembly, the additionally purging comprising:

supplying the inactive gas to the second inactive gas line at a fifth flow rate that is higher than the fourth flow rate; and

feeding the inactive gas to the reactor assembly by way of the second feed line.

6. The ALD method of claim 5 , further comprising sequentially pulsing the first reactant vapor, purging the reactor assembly, pulsing the second reactant vapor, and additionally purging the reactor assembly.

7. The ALD method of claim 5 , wherein the bypass line is in fluid communication with the first and second inactive gas lines by way of an inactive gas distribution line, the method comprising applying suction to the first and second inactive gas lines with the bypass line by way of the inactive gas distribution line.

8. The ALD method of claim 5 , wherein the fifth flow rate is higher than the second flow rate.

9. The ALD method of claim 4 , further comprising regulating gas flow through the first inactive gas line with an adjustable valve.

10. The ALD method of claim 9 , wherein regulating the gas flow through the first inactive gas line comprises creating a pressure gradient across the adjustable valve.

11. The ALD method of claim 10 , further comprising, during the purging, rapidly increasing the pressure of the inactive gas in the first inactive gas line and the feed line.

12. The ALD method of claim 9 , further comprising regulating gas flow through the bypass line with a second adjustable valve.

13. The ALD method of claim 12 , further comprising adjusting the second adjustable valve to have a higher flow conductance than the first adjustable valve.