Method for passivating a substrate surface

A method for passivating at least a part of a surface of a semiconductor substrate, wherein at least one layer comprising at least one SiOx layer is realized on said part of the substrate surface by:

• placing the substrate (1) in a process chamber (5);
• maintaining the pressure in the process chamber (5) at a relatively low value;
• maintaining the substrate (1) at a specific substrate treatment temperature suitable for realizing said layer;
• generating a plasma (P) by means of at least one plasma cascade source (3) mounted on the process chamber (5) at a specific distance (L) from the substrate surface;
• contacting at least a part of the plasma (P) generated by each source (3) with the said part of the substrate surface;
• and
• supplying at least one precursor suitable for SiOx realization to the said part of the plasma (P);
• wherein at least the at least one layer realized on the substrate (1) is subjected to a temperature treatment in a gas environment, wherein the temperature treatment particularly comprises a forming gas anneal treatment.