Abstract: A method is provided for low temperature deposition of ceramic thin films of carbides, nitrides and mixed phases such as carbo-nitrides by atomic layer deposition (ALD), nano-layer deposition (NLD), and chemical vapor deposition (CVD). The deposition chemistries employ combinations of precursors to affect thin film processes at substantially lower temperatures than current deposition processes of thin films of boron (B) carbides, nitrogen (N), nitrides, carbonitrides of silicon (Si), carbon (C), germanium (Ge), phosphorus (P), arsenic (As), oxygen (O), sulfur (S), and selenium (S) on substrates. The inventive ALD and corresponding NLD and CVD process methods provide lower temperature deposition of various thin films comprising elements from the group B, C, Si, Ge, N, P, As and O, S and Se. The reactive precursor combinations are selected on the basis of reactivity towards one another as determined by the variation of Gibb's free energy (?G) with respect to deposition temperature.

Abstract: An atomic layer deposition (ALD) reactor (13) is disclosed that includes a substantially cylindrical chamber (15) and a wafer substrate (22) mounted within the chamber (15). The ALD reactor (13) further includes at least one injection tube (14) mounted within the chamber (15) having a plurality of apertures (32) along one side that directs gas emanating from the apertures (32) towards the wafer substrate (22). While gas is pulsed from the injection tube (14), either the water substrate (22) or the injection tube (14) is continuously rotated in a longitudinal plane within the chamber (15) to ensure complete and uniform coverage of the wafer substrate (22) by the gas.