Patent ID: 7001852

Claim:
A method of making a high quality thin dielectric layer, comprising: annealing a substrate at a first temperature in a first ambient, the first ambient including an inert gas ambient selected from the group consisting of a nitrogen, argon, and helium ambient, and the substrate having a base oxide layer overlying a top surface of the substrate, the base oxide layer having an initial thickness and an initial density, wherein the first anneal causes a first density and thickness change in the base oxide layer from the initial thickness and density to a first thickness and density, with no incorporation of nitrogen, argon, or helium of the ambient within the base oxide layer, the first thickness being less than the initial thickness and the first density being greater than the initial density; and annealing the substrate and base oxide layer at a second temperature in a second ambient subsequent to the first anneal, wherein the second anneal causes a second density and thickness change in the base oxide layer from the first thickness and density to a second thickness and density, the second thickness being larger than the first thickness and the second density being on the order of the greater than or equal to the first density.