Patent ID: 7838438

Claim:
A method of forming a dielectric layer by a deposition process, comprising: feeding a metal source on a surface of a semiconductor substrate such that a first portion of the metal source is chemisorbed on the substrate and a second portion of the metal source is physisorbed on the substrate; removing the second portion of the metal source by a purge process; supplying a first predetermined amount of an oxidizing agent to the metal source to form a metal oxide layer therewith; purging the remaining oxidizing agent; repeating the cycles of feeding a metal source and removing the second portion of the metal source; and supplying a second predetermined amount of the oxidizing agent to the metal source to cause a chemical reaction between the metal source and the second predetermined amount of the oxidizing agent to form another metal oxide layer such that the second predetermined amount of the oxidizing agent is supplied for a longer period of time than the first predetermined amount of the oxidizing agent.