Patent ID: 7625794

Claim:
A method comprising: forming a layer of zirconium aluminum oxide by a self-limiting monolayer or partial monolayer sequencing deposition in a reaction chamber such that, during a cycle of the self-limiting monolayer or partial monolayer sequencing deposition, a precursor containing zirconium and a precursor containing aluminum are used independent of each other with application of the precursor containing zirconium performed without an aluminum composition in gaseous form being in the reaction chamber and with application of the precursor containing aluminum performed without a zirconium composition in gaseous form being in the reaction chamber, the zirconium aluminum oxide (ZrAl x O y , x>0 and y>0) being a composition essentially of zirconium, aluminum, and oxygen, wherein pulsing parameters of the precursor containing zirconium, pulsing parameters of the precursor containing aluminum, pressure within the reaction chamber, and temperature of the substrate are controlled such that the formed layer of zirconium aluminum oxide is without ZrO 2 and Al 2 O 3 .