Gas manifold, assembly and system including same

Abstract

Apparatus for providing gas to a reaction chamber, reactor systems including the apparatus, and methods of using the apparatus and systems are disclosed. The systems and methods described herein can be used, for example, to provide a mixture of two or more precursors to a reaction chamber at a desired flow distribution.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure generally relates to gas-phase reactor systems and components thereof. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to an apparatus adapted to supply one or more gases to a reaction chamber of a reactor system. Background Art

[0002] Gas-phase reactors such as chemical vapor deposition (CVD), plasma-enhanced CVD (PECVD), atomic layer deposition (ALD), etc. can be used for various applications, including depositing and etching materials on a substrate surface. For example, a gas-phase reactor can be used to deposit and / or etch a layer on a substrate to form semiconductor devices, flat panel display devices, photovoltaic devices, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), etc.

[0003] A typical gas-phase reactor system includes one or more reactors, each reactor including one or more reaction chambers; one or more precursor and / or reactant gas sources fluidly coupled to the reaction chambers; one or more carrier gas and / or purge gas sources fluidly coupled to the reaction chambers; one or more gas distribution systems for delivering gases (e.g., precursor / reactant gases and / or carrier or purge gases) to a substrate surface within the reaction chamber; and at least one exhaust source fluidly coupled to the reaction chamber.

[0004] In some processes conducted in a reaction chamber, it may be desirable to supply two or more gases to the reaction chamber simultaneously or with temporal overlap. For example, two or more gases can be supplied to the reaction chamber separately simultaneously or with temporal overlap. While such an apparatus may be suitable for some applications, supplying gases separately to the reaction chamber may result in undesirable variability in the process. In addition, it may be desirable to provide a desired gas flow pattern to the gas distribution device to achieve a desired gas flow pattern across the substrate surface. Accordingly, there is a need for improved apparatus for supplying a gas mixture and / or a desired gas flow pattern to the gas distribution device and / or the reaction chamber.

[0005] Any discussion of problems and solutions involved in the related art has been included in the present disclosure solely to provide the background of the present disclosure and should not be construed as an admission that any or all of the discussion was known at the time the present invention was made. Summary of the Invention

[0006] Various embodiments of the present disclosure relate to apparatuses for providing a gas mixture to a reactor or reaction chamber, components and systems including the apparatuses, and methods of using the apparatuses, components, and systems. The apparatuses, components, and systems may be used in conjunction with various applications, including, for example, the manufacture of electronic devices. While the ways in which various embodiments of the present disclosure address the drawbacks of existing apparatuses, components, and systems are discussed in more detail below, generally, various embodiments of the present disclosure provide improved apparatuses (e.g., gas manifolds), components, systems, and methods suitable for providing a mixture of two or more gases to a reaction chamber. Exemplary apparatuses may, for example, reduce the time scale of gas diffusion, thereby improving gas mixing and / or reducing the amount of time that the mixed gas is present before entering the reaction chamber. Other examples of the present disclosure provide improved apparatuses and methods for providing pulses of mixed gas.

[0007] According to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, a gas manifold is provided. An exemplary gas manifold includes: a body including a top portion and a bottom portion; a channel extending along an axis within the body and spanning between openings in the top portion and the bottom surface; a first conduit extending from the top surface and fluidly coupled to the channel; a second conduit extending generally radially from the axis and fluidly coupled to the channel; and a flow regulator within the bottom portion. The flow regulator is configured to change the flow direction of gas received from the first conduit and gas received from the second conduit. According to an example of the present disclosure, the flow regulator includes a plurality of fins extending inwardly from an inner wall of the channel. According to a further example, the flow regulator includes a helical portion. According to a further example, the flow regulator includes a plurality of deflectors extending from an inner surface of the channel toward the axis. According to yet another example, the flow regulator includes a first body spanning a first cross-section of the channel and including a first plurality of holes therethrough. According to a further example, the flow regulator further includes a second body spanning a second cross-section of the channel and including a second plurality of holes therethrough. And, according to an additional example, the flow regulator includes a plate having an opening therethrough, wherein the opening includes a first outer portion, a second outer portion, and an inner portion connecting the first outer portion and the second outer portion, wherein the cross-section of the inner portion is less than the cross-section of the first outer portion and less than the cross-section of the second outer portion.

[0008] According to a further embodiment, a component including a gas manifold and a gas distribution device fluidly coupled to the gas manifold is provided. The gas manifold may be or include the gas manifold as described above or elsewhere herein. The gas distribution device may be or include, for example, a showerhead device or a portion thereof.

[0009] According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, a reactor system is provided. An exemplary reactor system includes a reaction chamber, a gas distribution device, and a manifold, such as the manifold described herein.

[0010] According to additional embodiments of the present disclosure, a method of controlling a gas flow to a reaction chamber using the devices, components, and / or systems described herein is disclosed.

[0011] These and other embodiments will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art by reference to the following detailed description of certain embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings; the invention is not limited to any particular embodiment disclosed. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] A more complete understanding of the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure can be obtained by reference to the detailed description and the claims when considered in conjunction with the following illustrative drawings.

[0013] Figure 1 A reactor system including a gas manifold is shown in accordance with at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0014] Figure 2 Components in accordance with an example of the present disclosure are shown.

[0015] Figure 3 A portion of a gas manifold and a flow regulator in accordance with the present disclosure is shown.

[0016] Figure 4 A bottom view of components in accordance with an example of the present disclosure is shown.

[0017] Figure 5 A flow regulator in accordance with an example of the present disclosure is shown.

[0018] Figure 6 A portion of a flow regulator in accordance with an example of the present disclosure is shown.

[0019] Figure 7 A portion of a flow regulator in accordance with an additional example of the present disclosure is shown.

[0020] Figure 8 A flow regulator in accordance with an additional example of the present disclosure is shown.

[0021] Figure 9 A flow regulator in accordance with another example of the present disclosure is shown.

[0022] Figure 10 A flow regulator in accordance with another example of the present disclosure is shown.

[0023] Figure 11 Components in accordance with an additional example of the present disclosure are shown.

[0024] Figure 12 A flow regulator in accordance with another example of the present disclosure is shown.

[0025] Figure 13Shows components according to additional examples of the present disclosure.

[0026] It should be understood that the elements in the drawings are shown for simplicity and clarity and are not necessarily drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to facilitate understanding of the illustrated embodiments of the present disclosure. Detailed Description

[0027] Although certain embodiments and examples are disclosed below, those skilled in the art will understand that the invention extends beyond the specifically disclosed embodiments and / or uses of the invention and their obvious modifications and equivalents. Thus, it is intended that the scope of the disclosed invention not be limited by the specifically disclosed embodiments described below.

[0028] The present disclosure generally relates to manifolds, components including manifolds, and reactor systems including components or manifolds. The manifolds, components, and systems described herein can be used to process substrates, such as semiconductor wafers, to form, for example, electronic devices. By way of example, the systems and methods described herein can be used to form or grow multiple sets of layers. By way of specific example, the manifolds, components, and systems can be used in a thermal atomic layer deposition (ALD) process.

[0029] In the present disclosure, a gas can include a material that is a gas at normal temperature and pressure (NTP), an evaporated solid, and / or an evaporated liquid, and can consist of a single gas or a gas mixture, depending on the context. Gases other than process gases, i.e., gases that are not introduced through gas distribution components, other gas distribution devices, etc., can be used, for example, to seal the reaction space and can include seal gases, such as noble gases.

[0030] The term precursor can refer to a compound that participates in a chemical reaction to produce another compound. The term reactant can be used interchangeably with the term precursor. The term inert gas can refer to a gas that does not participate in a chemical reaction and / or does not become part of a layer to a perceptible extent. Exemplary inert gases include helium and argon and any combination thereof. In some cases, molecular nitrogen and / or hydrogen can be inert gases. A carrier gas can be or include an inert gas.

[0031] As used herein, the term "substrate" can refer to any one or more underlying materials that can be used to form or on which a device, circuit, or film can be formed. The substrate can include a bulk material, such as silicon (e.g., single crystal silicon), other Group IV materials, such as germanium, or compound semiconductor materials, such as GaAs, and can include one or more layers covering or underlying the bulk material. In addition, the substrate can include various topologies, such as grooves, lines, etc., formed within or on at least a portion of the substrate layer.

[0032] The term cyclic deposition process or cyclic deposition process may refer to the sequential introduction of precursors (and / or reactants) into a reaction chamber to deposit a layer on a substrate, and includes processing techniques such as ALD, cyclic chemical vapor deposition (cyclic CVD), and hybrid cyclic deposition processes that include an ALD component and a cyclic CVD component. The process may include a purge step between the introduction of precursors. In some cases, one or more reactants and / or precursors may be continuously supplied to the reaction chamber, and one or more other reactants and / or precursors may be pulsed into the reaction chamber.

[0033] In addition, in the present disclosure, any two numbers of a variable may constitute a viable range of the variable, and any indicated range may or may not include endpoints. Further, any value of the indicated variable (whether or not indicated by "about") may refer to an exact value or an approximate value, and includes equivalents, and may refer to an average value, a median value, a representative value, a majority value, etc. In addition, in the present disclosure, the terms "comprising," "consisting of," and "having" may, in some embodiments, independently refer to "generally or broadly comprising," "including," "substantially consisting of," or "consisting of." "Substantially" may mean within a relative or absolute percentage of about ±10% or ±5%. Substantially flat may mean that the surface may deviate from the horizontal plane by a relative or absolute percentage of ±10% or ±5%. The term "comprising" encompasses "substantially consisting of" and "consisting of." In the present disclosure, the meaning of any defined term does not necessarily exclude the ordinary and customary meaning in some embodiments.

[0034] Turning now to the drawings, Figure 1 A reactor system 100 is shown in accordance with at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. The reactor system 100 includes a reaction chamber 102, an apparatus 104 for providing a gas mixture to the reaction chamber 102, a vacuum source 106, and a controller 108.

[0035] The reaction chamber 102 may be or include a reaction chamber suitable for gas-phase reactions. The reaction chamber 102 may be formed of a suitable material, such as quartz, metal, etc., and may be configured to hold one or more substrates for processing. The reactor system 100 may include any suitable number of reaction chambers 102, and may optionally include one or more substrate handling systems.

[0036] The reaction chamber 102 may be configured as a CVD reactor, a cyclic deposition process reactor (such as a cyclic CVD reactor), an ALD reactor, a PEALD reactor, an etching reactor, a processing reactor, a surface cleaning reactor, etc., any of which may include plasma equipment, such as direct and / or remote plasma equipment.

[0037] The apparatus 104 for supplying a gas mixture to the reaction chamber includes a gas injection port 110, a mixing device 112, a first gas source 114, a second gas source 116, a third gas source 118, a first gas valve 120, a second gas (e.g., pulsed) valve 122, and a third gas (e.g., pulsed) valve 124. The apparatus 104 and / or the reactor system 100 may also include a first pressure flow control valve 126, a second pressure flow control valve 128, and one or more carrier gas sources 130. The reactor system 100 and / or the apparatus 104 may suitably include additional gas sources and corresponding pipelines and valves. By supplying pulses of two or more gases to the mixing device 112, the apparatus 104 can be used to mix gases from two or more gas sources 114-118. In the illustrated example, the mixing device 112 is located downstream of the pulsed valves. The apparatus 104 allows flexibility in timing (e.g., one gas can start before or after the other gases flow to the mixing device 112). Additionally, the apparatus 104 can be easily switched to a single gas injection system without delay.

[0038] The gas injection port 110 may include a pipe, an opening, etc. to supply the gas mixture to the reaction zone 132 of the reaction chamber 102. The gas injection port 110 may be integrated into the reaction chamber 102 or may be separate.

[0039] The mixing device 112 is configured to receive two or more gases - e.g., two or more of the first gas source 114, the second gas source 116, and the third gas source 118 - before entering the reaction chamber 102. As shown, the mixing device 112 may be upstream of and in fluid communication with the gas injection port 110. The mixing device 112 may include a volume that is larger than the volume of the gas injection port 110. For example, the volume of the mixing device 112 may be in the range of about 5 to about 50 cc. The configuration of the mixing device 112 may vary depending on the application. The mixing device 112 may include a curved path to facilitate the desired mixing and flow of the gas mixture. In some cases, the mixing device 112 may include a housing 138, which may be, for example, a substantially hollow cylinder. The mixing device 112 may be referred to as a manifold. Exemplary manifolds suitable for the mixing device 112 are described in more detail below in conjunction with Figures 2 - 13 More detailed description.

[0040] The first gas source 114, the second gas source 116, and the third gas source 118 can each include a container and a gas stored within the respective container. For example, the first gas source 114 can include a container and an inert gas; the second gas source 116 can include a container and a first precursor; the third gas source 118 can include a container and a second precursor. A reactor system 100 or an apparatus 104 for providing a gas mixture to the reaction chamber can include a reactant source 134, which can be coupled to a gas injection port 110 and / or a mixing device 112. The reactant source 134 can include one or more reactant containers and one or more reactant sources, such as one or more of an oxygen reactant, a nitrogen reactant, and / or a carbon reactant.

[0041] Two or more or each of the second gas source 116, the third gas source 118, and optional other gas sources can be coupled to the mixing device 112 using pulse valves such as pulse valves 122, 124. Additional gas sources can be similarly coupled to the mixing device 112. The apparatus 104 and / or the reactor system 100 can additionally include a pulse valve 136 between the reactant source 134 and the gas injection port 110 and / or the mixing device 112. The pulse valves 122, 124, 136 can be used to provide a desired amount (pulse) of gas to the mixing device 112 (or the gas injection port 110). For example, one or more gas pulse valves 122, 124, 136 or other pulse valves described herein can include pneumatic or electric solenoid valves.

[0042] As further shown, a carrier gas from a carrier gas source 130 (which can include one or more carrier gas sources) can be used to provide one or more of the first, second, and / or another precursor and / or additional gases described herein to the reaction chamber 102. In the illustrated example, the carrier gas source 130 is coupled to a first pressure flow control valve 126 to provide a desired concentration of the first precursor to the first gas pulse valve 120; the carrier gas source 130 is coupled to a second pressure flow control valve 128 to provide a desired concentration of the second precursor to the second gas pulse valve 122; and the inert gas source 114 is coupled to the valve 120 to provide a desired concentration of the inert gas to the mixing device 112. The pressure control valves 126, 128 can be used to maintain a stable / desired pressure within the respective first and second containers to provide a controlled flow of the respective first precursor, second precursor, and / or other gases. For example, the pressure control valve can be or include a pressure flow controller or a mass flow controller.

[0043] The vacuum source 106 can include, for example, one or more vacuum sources. Exemplary vacuum sources include one or more dry vacuum pumps and / or one or more turbomolecular pumps.

[0044] The controller 108 can be configured to perform various functions and / or steps as described herein. The controller 108 can include one or more microprocessors, storage elements, and / or switching elements to perform various functions. Although illustrated as a single unit, the controller 108 can alternatively include multiple devices. For example, the controller 108 can be used to control the gas flow to the mixing device 112 and the gas mixture flowing from the mixing device 112 to the vacuum source 106 and / or the reaction chamber 102. In some cases, the controller 108 can be used to pulse two or more precursors (e.g., from sources 116, 118) and / or reactants from the reactant source 134 into the mixing device 112 and / or the gas injection port 110. As a further example, the controller 108 can independently control each pressure flow control valve 126, 128 and each gas pulse valve 122, 124 to independently provide the relative concentrations and relative amounts or ratios (e.g., by mass) of two or more precursors to the mixing device 112. In Figure 1 the example shown, the controller 108 can be configured to open each pulse valve 122, 124 substantially simultaneously (e.g., within about 0.001 seconds or about 0.005 seconds).

[0045] In the example shown, the reactor system 100 includes a susceptor 148 configured to hold a substrate 140. The reactor system 100 also includes a gas distribution system 142, which is or includes a showerhead assembly that in turn includes a showerhead plate 144 and a flow control plate 146. The gas distribution system 142 can provide a gas mixture from the mixing device 112 to the top surface of the substrate 140.

[0046] Turning now to Figure 2 , an exemplary assembly 200 is shown, including a gas manifold 201 adapted to be used as the mixing device 112. The assembly 200 also includes a gas distribution system, such as the distribution system 142, which includes a flow control plate 146. The gas manifold 201 includes a body 202, which includes a top portion 204 and a bottom portion 206. During operation of the assembly 200, gas is supplied to the gas manifold 201 at inlets 208, 210, 212, which can be coupled to gas sources 114, 116, and 118, respectively.

[0047] The top portion 204 of the body 202 includes a top surface 214. The bottom portion 206 includes a bottom surface 216. The gas manifold 201 includes a channel 218 that spans within the body along an axis 220 and between an opening 221 in the top portion 204 and the bottom surface 216.

[0048] The gas manifold 201 also includes a first conduit 222 extending from the top surface 214. The first conduit 222 is fluidly coupled to the passage 218. In the illustrated example, the gas manifold 201 includes a second conduit 224 extending generally radially from the axis 220 and fluidly coupled to the passage 218, and a third conduit 226 extending generally radially from the axis 220 and fluidly coupled to the passage 218. The gas manifold 201 may suitably include additional conduits to accommodate additional gases supplied to the passage 218. As shown, each of the first conduit, the second conduit, the third conduit, and the optional additional conduits may be coupled to or formed within the top portion 204 of the body 202.

[0049] According to various examples of the present disclosure, the gas manifold 201 includes one or more flow regulators 228 within the bottom portion 206 of the body 202. The one or more flow regulators 228 may be configured to change the flow direction of the gas received from the first conduit, the gas received from the second conduit, and / or the gas received from the third conduit before the gas enters the opening 230 in the flow control plate 146.

[0050] Figure 3 A cross-sectional view of an example of a flow regulator 300 suitable for use as one or more of the flow regulators 228 is shown. Figure 4 A bottom view of an assembly including the flow regulator 300 and a plate 402 that may be coupled to the flow control plate 146 is shown.

[0051] The flow regulator 300 includes a plurality of fins 302 extending inwardly from the inner wall 304 of a passage 306 (which may be the same or similar to the passage 218). The fins 302 may be generally evenly spaced. The number of fins 302 may be in the range of about 1 / mm (diameter) to about 2 / mm (diameter), or may be about 9 to about 18, where the diameter represents the diameter or other cross-sectional dimension of the inner wall 304. The length of each fin may generally span the bottom portion 206 and / or be between approximately covering the entire length of the tube (e.g., about 136 mm). The fins 302 may be formed of any suitable material, such as a metal (e.g., aluminum - 6 series, C22 alloy, low-carbon stainless steel) or a ceramic material. The plurality of fins 302 may be integrally formed within the body, such as the body 202 described above, or may be attached, such as by welding or brazing.

[0052] In the illustrated example, each fin 302 among a plurality of fins includes a first portion 308 and a second portion 310. The first portion 308 includes an inner inclined surface 312 that is at an angle relative to an axis 314. The axis 314 may be the same as the aforementioned axis 220. The angle relative to the axis 314 may be greater than 0 degrees and less than 90 degrees, or between approximately 15 degrees and approximately 45 degrees. The second portion 310 includes an inner parallel surface 316 that is substantially parallel to the axis 314. The ratio of the height of the first portion 308 (e.g., along the axis 314) to the height of the second portion 310 may be, for example, between approximately 1:20 and approximately 1:10.

[0053] Figure 5 Another flow regulator 500 according to an example of the present disclosure is shown. According to an example of the present disclosure, the flow regulator 500 may be removably inserted into a channel, such as channel 218, as described above. The flow regulator 500 includes a helical portion 502 and a plate 504 coupled to the helical portion 502. Figure 6 The plate 504 is shown in more detail.

[0054] The helical portion 502 may have a length that is substantially the same as the bottom portion 206 and / or a length L between approximately 30 mm and approximately 70 mm or between about 30 mm and 70 mm. The helical portion 502 may be formed of any suitable material, such as a metal (e.g., stainless steel, aluminum, etc.) or a ceramic (e.g., Al2O3). The helical pitch of the helical portion 502 may be between approximately 4 mm and approximately 10 mm or between about 5 mm and about 8 mm. The cross-sectional width of the helical portion 502 may be between approximately 6 mm and approximately 10 mm or between about 6 mm and about 8 mm.

[0055] The plate 504 may include a cross-sectional dimension D between approximately 10 mm and approximately 15 mm or between about 10 mm and about 12 mm. The plate 504 includes one or more openings 602, 604 that span the height of the plate 504. In the illustrated example, each opening 602, 604 is substantially semi-circular. The plate 504 may be formed of the same material as the helical portion 502.

[0056] Figure 7 Another helical portion 702 is shown. The helical portion 702 may be the same as or similar to the helical portion 502, except that the pitch of the helix is between approximately 4 mm and approximately 10 mm or between about 6 mm and about 10 mm. The helical portion 702 may be attached to a plate, such as plate 504, or may be a separate flow regulator inserted into the channel 218. The length of the helical portion 702 may be the same as or similar to the length and / or cross-sectional width of the aforementioned helical portion 502.

[0057] Figure 8 and 9Another flow regulator 800 is shown in accordance with an additional example of the present disclosure. The flow regulator 800 includes a plurality of deflectors 802. The deflectors 802 extend from an inner surface 804 of the channel 902 toward an axis 904 of the channel 902. The channel 902 and the axis 904 may be the same as or similar to the above-mentioned channel 218 and axis 220. The plurality of deflectors 802 may include a first set of deflectors 906 at a first height within the channel 902 and a second set of deflectors 908 at a second height within the channel, the first height being different from the second height. Additionally, as Figure 8 and 9 shown, the first set of deflectors 906 and the second set of deflectors 908 may be offset from each other (e.g., vertically and rotationally). One or more deflectors 802 (e.g., all deflectors) may include a first inclined surface 910 and a second inclined surface 912. The first inclined surface 910 and the second inclined surface 912 may meet at an edge 914. The first inclined surface 910 and the second inclined surface 912 may each be relatively flat. The width of the first inclined surface 910 may be between about 1 / 4 of the diameter or other cross-sectional dimension of the channel 902 and about 1 / 3 of the diameter or other cross-sectional dimension of the channel 902, or between, for example, about 2 mm and about 3 mm. The width of the second inclined surface 912 may be within approximately the same range as described above. The distance between the first set of deflectors 906 and the second set of deflectors 908 may be between about 20 mm and 30 mm. The first inclined surface 910 may be inclined at an angle with respect to the axis 904, where the angle is greater than 0 degrees and less than 90 degrees, or between about 15 degrees and about 45 degrees. The second inclined surface 912 may be inclined at an angle with respect to a line perpendicular to the axis 904, where the angle is greater than 0 degrees and less than 90 degrees, or between about 15 degrees and about 45 degrees.

[0058] The deflectors 802 may be formed of any suitable material, such as the ceramic and metallic materials mentioned above. The number of deflectors may be 4, 6, or 9, or, for example, a multiple of 4, which may be divided between the first set of deflectors 906 and the second set of deflectors 908 in any combination.

[0059] Figure 10 and 11 Another flow regulator 1000 is shown in accordance with an example of the present disclosure. The flow regulator 1000 includes a body 1002 and a plurality of holes 1004 extending through the body 1002. As Figure 11 shown, the flow regulator 1000 may include two or more bodies. In Figure 9In the example shown, the flow regulator 1000 includes a first body 1002 and a second body 1102. The second body 1102 may be the same as or similar to the first body 1002. The cross-sectional dimension D of the bodies 1002, 1102 may be approximately the same as the inner diameter of the channel 1104. The height H of each of the bodies 1002, 1102 may be, for example, between about 10 mm and about 15 mm. The distance between each of the bodies 1002, 1102 may span approximately the entire tube length (e.g., about 136 mm). For example, the first body 1002 may be at the top of the bottom portion 206, and the second body 1102 may be at the bottom of the channel 1104.

[0060] The bodies 1002, 1102 may be formed of any suitable material, such as aluminum - 6 series, C22 alloy, low carbon stainless steel, stainless steel, etc. The number of holes 1004 passing through the bodies 1002, 1102 may be in the range of about 1:2.3 (diameter in mm) to 1:3.5 (diameter in mm), where the diameter represents the (e.g., inner) diameter of the body 1002 or other cross-sectional dimension. These holes may be arranged in rows and columns as shown, or may be in other configurations. The size of the holes may range from about 0.7 mm to 1.05 mm.

[0061] Figure 12 and 13 Another flow regulator 1200 according to an example of the present disclosure is shown. The flow regulator 1200 includes a plate 1202 having an opening 1204 therethrough. In the example shown, the opening 1204 includes a first outer portion 1206, a second outer portion 1208, and an inner portion 1210 connecting the first outer portion 1206 and the second outer portion 1208. The cross-section D3 of the inner portion 1210 is less than the cross-section D2 of the first outer portion 1206, and D3 is less than the cross-section D1 of the second outer portion 1208. For example, the opening 1204 may be dog-bone shaped.

[0062] The flow regulator 1200 may have an outer cross-sectional dimension that is substantially the same as the inner cross-sectional dimension of the channel 1302 (which may be the same as or similar to the channel 218). The flow regulator 1200 may be attached to the channel 1302 by brazing or welding. The flow regulator may be formed of any suitable material, such as the materials mentioned above in connection with the other flow regulators.

[0063] The above-described exemplary embodiments do not limit the scope of the present invention because these embodiments are merely examples of embodiments of the present invention. For example, although three gas sources are shown, the examples can include two, four, or more gas sources, which can be configured in a manner similar to the shown examples. Any equivalent embodiments are within the scope of the present invention. In fact, various modifications of the present disclosure, such as alternative useful combinations of the described elements, will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the description. Such modifications and embodiments are also intended to fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A gas manifold, comprising: a body including a top portion and a bottom portion, the top portion including a top surface and the bottom portion including a bottom surface; a passage extending along an axis within the body and spanning between openings in the top portion and the bottom surface; a first conduit extending from the top surface and fluidly coupled to the passage; a second conduit extending generally radially from the axis and fluidly coupled to the passage; and a flow regulator within the bottom portion configured to change the flow direction of gas received from the first conduit and gas received from the second conduit.

2. The gas manifold according to claim 1, wherein, The flow regulator includes a plurality of fins extending inwardly from an inner wall of the passage.

3. The gas manifold according to claim 2, wherein, Each of the plurality of fins includes a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion includes an inner inclined surface angled relative to the axis, and wherein the second portion includes an inner parallel surface generally parallel to the axis, where the angle is greater than 0 degrees and less than 90 degrees or between about 15 degrees and about 45 degrees.

4. The gas manifold according to claim 3, wherein, The ratio of the height of the first portion to the height of the second portion is between about 1:20 and about 1:

10.

5. The gas manifold according to any one of claims 2-4, wherein, The plurality of fins includes between about 9 and about 18.

6. The gas manifold according to any one of claims 2-5, wherein, The plurality of fins are integrally formed within the body.

7. The gas manifold according to claim 1, wherein, The flow regulator includes a helical portion.

8. The gas manifold according to claim 7, wherein, The flow regulator further includes a plate coupled to the helical portion.

9. The gas manifold according to claim 8, wherein, The plate includes one or more openings spanning the height of the plate.

10. The gas manifold according to any one of claims 7-9, wherein, The pitch of the helix of the helical portion is between about 4 mm and about 10 mm, or between about 5 mm and about 8 mm.

11. The gas manifold according to any one of claims 7-10, wherein, The flow regulator is removably inserted into the passage.

12. The gas manifold according to claim 1, wherein, The flow regulator includes a plurality of deflectors extending from an inner surface of the passage toward the axis.

13. The gas manifold according to claim 12, wherein, The plurality of deflectors includes a first set of deflectors at a first height within the passage and a second set of deflectors at a second height within the passage, the first height being different from the second height.

14. The gas manifold according to claim 13, wherein, The deflectors in the first set of deflectors are offset from the deflectors in the second set of deflectors.

15. The gas manifold according to any one of claims 12 - 14, wherein, Each of the plurality of deflectors includes a generally flat surface angled relative to the axis, where the angle is greater than 0 degrees and less than 90 degrees or between about 15 degrees and about 45 degrees.

16. The gas manifold according to claim 1, wherein, The flow regulator includes a first body spanning a first cross-section of the passage and including a first plurality of holes therethrough.

17. The gas manifold according to claim 16, further comprising a second body spanning a second cross-section of the passage and including a second plurality of holes therethrough.

18. The gas manifold according to claim 1, wherein, The flow regulator includes a plate having an opening therethrough, where the opening includes a first outer portion, a second outer portion, and an inner portion connecting the first outer portion and the second outer portion, where the cross-section of the inner portion is less than the cross-section of the first outer portion and less than the cross-section of the second outer portion.

19. An assembly, comprising: a gas manifold, comprising: a body including a top portion and a bottom portion, the top portion including a top surface and the bottom portion including a bottom surface; A passageway that extends along an axis within the body and spans between an opening in the top portion and the bottom surface; A first conduit that extends from the top surface and is fluidly coupled to the passageway; A second conduit that extends generally radially from the axis and is fluidly coupled to the passageway; and A flow regulator within the bottom portion configured to change the flow direction of the gas received from the first conduit and the gas received from the second conduit; and A gas distribution device fluidly coupled to a gas manifold.

20. A reactor system comprising: A reaction chamber; A gas distribution device configured to deliver gas to the interior of the reaction chamber; And A gas manifold fluidly coupled to the gas distribution device, the gas manifold comprising: A body including a top portion and a bottom portion, the top portion including a top surface and the bottom portion including a bottom surface; A passageway that extends along an axis within the body and spans between an opening in the top portion and the bottom surface; A first conduit that extends from the top surface and is fluidly coupled to the passageway; A second conduit that extends generally radially from the axis and is fluidly coupled to the passageway; and A flow regulator within the bottom portion configured to change the flow direction of the gas received from the first conduit and the gas received from the second conduit.

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