An apparatus for atomic scale processing is provided. The apparatus may include a reactor and an inductively coupled plasma source. The reactor may have inner and outer surfaces such that a portion of the inner surfaces define an internal volume of the reactor. The internal volume of the reactor may contain a fixture assembly to support a substrate wherein the partial pressure of each background impurity within the internal volume may be below 10.sup.−6 Torr to reduce the role of said impurities in surface reactions during atomic scale processing.

A ruthenium film forming method includes: causing chlorine to be adsorbed to an upper portion of a recess at a higher density than to a lower portion of the recess by supplying a chlorine-containing gas to a substrate including an insulating film and having the recess; and forming a ruthenium film in the recess by supplying a Ru-containing precursor to the recess to which the chlorine is adsorbed.

Methods and systems for depositing a layer comprising silicon oxide on the substrate are disclosed. Exemplary methods include cyclical deposition methods that include providing a first silicon precursor to the reaction chamber, providing a second silicon precursor, and using a reactant or a non-reactant gas forming silicon oxide on a surface of the substrate. Exemplary methods can further include a treatment step.

Methods are provided herein for forming transition metal oxide thin films, preferably Group IVB metal oxide thin films, by atomic layer deposition. The metal oxide thin films can be deposited at high temperatures using metalorganic reactants. Metalorganic reactants comprising two ligands, at least one of which is a cycloheptatriene or cycloheptatrienyl (CHT) ligand are used in some embodiments. The metal oxide thin films can be used, for example, as dielectric oxides in transistors, flash devices, capacitors, integrated circuits, and other semiconductor applications.

Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to a substrate support having a two-part surface coating which reduces defect formation and back side metal contamination during substrate processing. A support body includes a body having an upper surface and a two-part coating disposed over the upper surface of the body. The two-part coating includes a first coating layer extending a first radial distance from a center of the body. The first coating layer includes at least one of a metal-containing material or alloy. The two-part coating includes a second coating layer disposed over the first coating layer. The second coating layer extends a second radial distance from the center of the body. The first radial distance is greater than the second radial distance. The second coating layer is non-metal.

A system. The system may include a first zone into which a first precursor is introduced; a second zone into which a second precursor is introduced; a third zone between the first zone and the second zone and in which a reactive species is generated; a fourth zone between the first zone and the third zone; a fifth zone between the second zone and the third zone; wherein a process gas is introduced into the fourth zone and the fifth zone; wherein the reactive species and the first precursor is mixed in the fourth zone and the reactive species and the second precursor is mixed in the fifth zone; and a substrate transport mechanism.

Methods for the formation of films comprising Si, C, O and N are provided. Certain methods involve sequential exposures of a hydroxide terminated substrate surface to a silicon precursor and an alcohol-amine to form a film with hydroxide terminations. Certain methods involved sequential exposures of hydroxide terminated substrate surface to a silicon precursor and a diamine to form a film with an amine terminated surface, followed by sequential exposures to a silicon precursor and a diol to form a film with a hydroxide terminated surface.

There is provided a method of filling one or more gaps by providing the substrate in a reaction chamber and introducing a first reactant to the substrate with a first dose, thereby forming no more than about one monolayer by the first reactant on a first area; introducing a second reactant to the substrate with a second dose, thereby forming no more than about one monolayer by the second reactant on a second area of the surface, wherein the first and the second areas overlap in an overlap area where the first and second reactants react and leave an initially unreacted area where the first and the second areas do not overlap; and, introducing a third reactant to the substrate with a third dose, the third reactant reacting with the first or second reactant remaining on the initially unreacted area.

A substrate processing method for forming a nitride film on a substrate, includes: a raw material gas supply step of supplying a raw material gas containing an element to be nitrided; a hydrogen gas supply step of, after the raw material gas supply step, supplying a hydrogen gas activated by plasma; a thermal nitriding step of supplying a first nitriding gas containing nitrogen activated by heat and nitriding the element; and a plasma nitriding step of supplying a second nitriding gas containing nitrogen activated by plasma and nitriding the element.

Methods for modifying a susceptor having a silicon carbide (SiC) surface comprising exposing the silicon carbide surface (SiC) to an atmospheric plasma are described. The method increases the atomic oxygen content of the silicon carbide (SiC) surface.