Apparatus and method to achieve continuous interface and ultrathin film during atomic layer deposition

1. A structure formed on a substrate comprising:

an insulating layer formed on an existing atomic layer deposition layer in which the insulating layer is pretreated by introducing a radical specie including any combination of O 2 , H 2 , H 2 O, NH 3 , NF 3 , N 2 , Cl and F to increase AHx termination sites on the surface of the insulating layer, where x is an integer and A is a non-metal capable of bonding with hydrogen H; and

a film layer formed above said insulating layer by repeated introduction of a first precursor followed by a second precursor to deposit said film layer by atomic layer deposition, the first precursor to deposit a first reactive specie on the surface of the insulating layer, the surface when pretreated being more receptive to have additional bonding with the first reactive specie, due to the increase of AHx termination sites on the surface and the second precursor to deposit a second reactive specie to react with the deposited first reactive specie to form said film layer.

2. A method to perform atomic layer deposition comprising:

pretreating a surface of a substrate or a material layer formed on the substrate by introducing a radical specie including any combination of O 2 , H 2 , H 2 O, NH 2 , NF 3 , N 2 , Cl and F to increase AHx termination sites on the surface, where x is an integer and A is a non-metal capable of bonding with hydrogen H, said pretreating further including introducing the radical specie by a plasma;

introducing a first precursor to deposit a first reactive specie on the surface, the surface when pretreated being more receptive to have additional bonding with the first reactive specie, due to the increase of AHx termination sites on the surface; and

introducing a second precursor, after the bonding of the first reactive specie, to deposit a second reactive specie to react with the deposit first reactive specie to form a film layer;

wherein Al 2 O 3 is deposited on TiXN, wherein X may be Al, Si or W by atomic layer deposition in which said pretreating includes introducing NH 3 /H 2 /N 2 plasma to form NHx as the termination sites on Al 2 O 3 .

3. A method to perform atomic layer deposition comprising:

pretreating a surface of a substrate or a material layer formed on the substrate by introducing a radical specie including any combination of O 2 , H 2 , H 2 O, NH 2 , NF 3 , N 2 , C 1 and F to increase AHx termination sites on the surface, where x is an integer and A is a non-metal capable of bonding with hydrogen H, said pretreating further including introducing the radical specie by a plasma;

introducing a first precursor to deposit a first reactive specie on the surface, the surface when pretreated being more receptive to have additional bonding with the first reactive specie, due to the increase of AHx termination sites on the surface; and

introducing a second precursor, after the bonding of the first reactive specie, to deposit a second reactive specie to react with the deposit first reactive specie to form a film layer;

wherein HfO 2 , ZrO 2 or La 2 O 3 is deposited on Al 2 O 3 by atomic layer deposition in which said pretreating includes introducing O 2 /H 2 /H 2 O plasma to form NHx as the termination sites on TiN.