Low temperature deposition of silicon oxides for device fabrication

Claim 1

A process for forming a device comprising the steps of 1) introducing a gaseous reaction composition to a substrate, 2) inducing a reaction in said composition to produce deposition of a silicon oxide region on said substrate, wherein said substrate at its upper surface before said deposition has a plurality of steps and 3) utilizing said oxide in completing said device, CHARACTERIZED IN THAT said silicon oxide is deposited by subjecting said substrate to a plasma in said composition wherein said composition comprises tetraethoxysilane and a source of oxygen wherein said deposited silicon oxide region is conformal to said plurality steps, wherein after said deposition a void in said silicon dioxide between said steps is substantially avoided and wherein the level of water and of silanol bonds present in said deposition is sufficiently low to substantially avoid device degradation associated with their presence.