Patent ID: 7022605

Claim:
An atomic layer deposition method comprising: positioning a semiconductor substrate within a deposition chamber; flowing a first precursor gas to the substrate within the chamber effective to form a first monolayer on the substrate; initiating flowing of a second precursor gas different in composition from the first precursor gas to the first monolayer within the chamber; after initiating flowing of the second precursor gas, providing sufficient power to produce surface microwave plasma conditions to generate a plasma in the second precursor gas against the substrate within the chamber effective to react with the first monolayer and form a second monolayer on the substrate which is different in composition from the first monolayer, the second monolayer comprising components of the first monolayer and the second precursor; and after the second precursor gas flowing, flowing a third precursor gas different in composition from the first and second precursor gases to the second monolayer within the chamber effective to react with the second monolayer and form a third monolayer on the substrate which is different in composition from the first and second monolayers.