US Patent 8101531 Plasma-activated deposition of conformal films

Methods and hardware for depositing thin conformal films using plasma-activated conformal film deposition (CFD) processes are described herein. In one example, a method for forming a thin conformal film comprises, in a first phase, generating precursor radicals off of a surface of the substrate and adsorbing the precursor radicals to the surface to form surface active species; in a first purge phase, purging residual precursor from the process station; in a second phase, supplying a reactive plasma to the surface, the reactive plasma configured to react with the surface active species and generate the thin conformal film; and in a second purge phase, purging residual reactant from the process station.