Method of nonstoichiometric CVD dielectric film surface passivation for film roughness control

A method for reducing film surface roughness in Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) of dielectric films, comprising the steps of:

• providing a substrate;
• depositing a first dielectric film on said substrate during manufacture comprising at least one of, selected from the group consisting of:
• ultraviolet light transparent Silicon Nitride (UVSIN), Silicon Rich Oxide (SRO), Silicon Dioxide (SiO2), Silicon Nitride (Si3N4), Phosphosilicate Glass (PSG), and Silicon Oxynitride (SiON);
• reducing a surface roughness of the first dielectric film by passivating a nonstoichiometric film surface of the dielectric film with reactant gas comprising at least one of, selected from the group consisting of:
• Ammonia (NH3), Hydrogen (H2), Nitrous Oxide (N2O), and Oxygen (O2);
• performing at least one subsequent CVD of a second dielectric film on top of said first dielectric film;
• passivating a film surface of the second CVD dielectric film by exposing the second dielectric film to reactant gas comprising at least one of, selected from the group consisting of:
• Ammonia (NH3), Hydrogen (H2), Nitrous Oxide (N2O), and Oxygen (O2).