Patent ID: 7989363

Claim:
A method for fabricating semiconductor devices, the method comprising: providing a semiconductor substrate having a surface region, the surface region having a native oxide layer; treating the surface region to a wet cleaning process to remove a native oxide layer from the surface region; subjecting the surface region to an oxygen species bearing environment; subjecting the surface region to an electromagnetic radiation having wavelengths ranging from about 300 to about 800 nanometers for a time period of less than 10 milli-seconds to increase a temperature of the surface region to greater than 1000 Degrees Celsius; causing formation of an oxide layer having a thickness of less than 10 Angstroms, the oxide layer being substantially free from pinholes and imperfections, and further comprising removing the electromagnetic radiation to cause a reduction in temperature of about 300 to about 600 Degrees Celsius in a time of about 1 second and less.