Patent ID: 7501352

Claim:
A method for preparing an oxynitride film on a substrate, comprising: oxidizing a surface of said substrate to form an oxide film by exposing said surface of said substrate to oxygen radicals formed by ultraviolet (UV) radiation induced dissociation of a first process gas comprising at least one molecular composition comprising oxygen; nitriding said oxide film to form the oxynitride film by exposing said oxide film to nitrogen radicals formed by plasma induced dissociation of a second process gas comprising at least one molecular composition comprising nitrogen using plasma based on microwave irradiation via a plane antenna member having a plurality of slits; and annealing the oxynitride film, subsequent to forming the oxynitride film and before forming any layer on the oxynitride film, by exposing the oxynitride film to oxygen radicals and nitrogen radicals formed by ultraviolet (UV) radiation induced dissociation of an annealing gas comprising at least one molecular composition comprising oxygen and nitrogen.