Patent ID: 8323754

Claim:
A method for forming a dielectric stack on a substrate, comprising: depositing a first dielectric layer of hafnium silicate on a substrate by an atomic layer deposition process, wherein the substrate is exposed to precursors of an alkylamino hafnium compound, water vapor, and an alkylamino silane compound during the atomic layer deposition process; exposing the first dielectric layer to a plasma nitridation process to form a first nitride layer comprising a nitrogen concentration within a range from about 5 at % to about 25 at %; depositing a second dielectric layer on the first nitride layer, wherein the second dielectric layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of hafnium silicate, zirconium silicate, aluminum silicate, derivatives thereof, and combinations thereof; exposing the second dielectric layer to the plasma nitridation process to form a second nitride layer comprising a nitrogen concentration within a range from about 5 at % to about 25 at %; and exposing the substrate to an annealing process, wherein the depositing the first dielectric layer of hafnium silicate further comprises co-flowing the alkylamino hafnium compound and the alkylamino silane compound in a first half reaction and sequentially pulsing the water vapor in a second half reaction, with each half reaction separated by an argon purge.