Patent ID: 6992019

Claim:
In a method for forming a silicon dioxide layer on the surface of a substrate for semiconductor applications using a catalyst-assisted atomic layer deposition process, comprising at least the sequential steps of exposing a functionalized surface of the substrate to a first mixture consisting essentially of first reactant and first catalyst and thereafter exposing that surface to a second mixture consisting essentially of second reactant and second catalyst to form a silicon dioxide monolayer on the substrate surface, the improvement which comprises one or more of the following: (a) using a first reactant consisting essentially of at least one member selected from the group consisting of silicon compounds having at least two silicon atoms; (b) using a first catalyst consisting essentially of at least one member selected from the group consisting of tertiary aliphatic amine compounds; and, (c) using a first reactant consisting essentially of at least one member selected from the group consisting of silicon compounds having at least two silicon atoms in combination with using a first catalyst consisting essentially of at least one member selected from the group consisting of tertiary aliphatic amine compounds.