Patent ID: 7943501

Claim:
A method of forming a layer on a substrate comprising: directing a vapor comprising one or more tantalum precursor compounds directly onto one or more silicon-containing surfaces of a substrate, wherein the one or more tantalum precursor compounds are of the formula TaY 5 (Formula I), wherein each Y is independently a halogen atom; allowing the vapor comprising the one or more tantalum precursor compounds to chemisorb directly onto the one or more silicon-containing surfaces of the substrate; and directing a vapor comprising one or more silicon precursor compounds to the one or more silicon-containing surfaces of the substrate to form a tantalum silicide layer on the one or more silicon-containing surfaces of the substrate, wherein directing the vapors is accomplished using an atomic layer deposition process comprising a plurality of deposition cycles, with the proviso that the method does not include providing a vapor comprising one or more nitrogen precursor compounds.