Patent ID: 7109129

Claim:
A method of filling a gap on a semiconductor substrate, the method comprising: a) providing a semiconductor substrate in a metal-containing precursor dose chamber; b) exposing the substrate surface to a dose of a metal-containing precursor gas to form a saturated layer of metal-containing precursor on the substrate surface; c) providing the semiconductor substrate in a silicon-containing precursor dose chamber; and d) introducing a dose of silicon-containing precursor gas to the chamber; and e) after the dose is introduced to the chamber, exposing the substrate to the dose of the silicon-containing precursor gas such that the gas reacts with the saturated layer of metal-containing precursor to deposit silicon oxide; wherein (e) is completed prior to introducing a subsequent dose of silicon-containing precursor gas and (e) comprises: (i) exposing the substrate to the dose of the silicon-containing precursor gas for a first period of time (ii) re-pressurizing the silicon-containing precursor dose chamber during exposure to the dose of the silicon-containing precursor gas, thereby increasing the pressure in the chamber; and (iii) after re-pressurizing, exposing the substrate to the dose of the silicon-containing precursor gas for a second period of time.