Patent ID: 7166543

Claim:
A method of forming a metal oxide surface that is enriched with metal oxide in its higher oxidation state for use in a semiconductor device comprising: providing a metal layer supported by a semiconductor substrate; and forming a metal oxide surface that is enriched with metal oxide in its higher oxidation state on the metal layer, wherein the step of forming the enriched metal oxide surface comprises: oxidizing the metal layer to form a metal oxide surface, wherein the metal oxide surface comprises metal oxide in a first oxidation state; reducing the metal oxide surface, wherein the reduced metal oxide surface comprises metal oxide in a first oxidation state and metal atom; and oxidizing the reduced metal oxide surface to form a metal oxide surface that is enriched with metal oxide in its higher oxidation state, wherein the enriched metal oxide surface comprises metal oxide in a first oxidation state and metal oxide in a second oxidation state, and wherein the metal comprises at least two oxidation states.