Methods for inhibiting precursor interactions during radical-enhanced atomic layer deposition

A method of depositing a thin film, the method comprising:

• providing a substrate to be coated;
• exposing the substrate to a precursor gas;
• positioning the substrate adjacent a shroud such that a perimeter of the shroud is positioned proximal of the substrate to define a gap therebetween;
• flowing a gaseous radical species through the shroud and toward the substrate, the gaseous radical species exiting the shroud through the gap under sufficient flow rate and pressure conditions to substantially prevent the precursor gas from entering the shroud;
• alternately positioning the shroud over selected regions of the substrate to thereby alternately expose the selected regions of the substrate to the radical species and the precursor gas multiple times, resulting in some of the precursor gas adsorbing on the selected regions of the substrate as an adsorbed precursor, and each subsequent exposure of the selected regions of the substrate to the radical species resulting in some of the radicals converting at least a portion of the adsorbed precursor to a product in the selected regions, whereby a thin film of the product is formed in the selected regions of the substrate;
• and
• deactivating radicals present in the gaseous radical species as the gaseous radical species flows through the gap and before the gaseous radical species exits the shroud, to thereby prevent the gaseous radical species from interacting with the precursor gas outside of the shroud.