Patent ID: 6949450

Claim:
A sequential method for integrated, in-situ modification of a substrate and subsequent atomic layer deposition of a thin film onto said substrate in an evacuated chamber beginning with initial modification steps, comprising: introducing at least one first ion generating feed gas into said evacuated chamber; generating a plasma from said first ion generating feed gas to form ions; exposing said substrate to said ions; modulating said ions; reacting said substrate with said modulated ions to remove any contaminants from said substrate and producing a modified substrate; and following said initial modification steps, performing an atomic layer deposition of a thin film onto said modified substrate in said evacuated chamber including: introducing a first reactant gas into said evacuated chamber; adsorbing at least one monolayer of said first reactant gas onto said modified substrate; evacuating any excess said first reactant gas from said evacuated chamber; introducing at least one additional ion generating feed gas into said evacuated chamber; generating a second plasma from said additional ion generating feed gas to form additional ions; exposing said modified substrate to said additional ions; modulating said additional ions; and reacting said adsorbed monolayer of said first reactant gas with said modulated additional ions to deposit said thin film.