Methods for depositing a silicon containing layer with argon gas dilution

A method for forming a silicon oxide layer, comprising:

• supplying a gas mixture having a silicon-based gas, an inert gas, and an oxygen containing gas into a processing chamber, the gas mixture having a volumetric flow rate per surface area of substrate of the inert gas that is between about 11 times to about 80 times a volumetric flow rate per surface area of substrate of the silicon-based gas;
• and
• applying a RF power to ignite the gas mixture into a plasma;
• forming a silicon oxide layer on the substrate;
• and
• in-situ thermal treating the substrate after the silicon oxide layer is formed on the substrate to a temperature between about 450 degrees Celsius and about 500 degrees Celsius in the processing chamber for less than 5 minutes.

A metal oxide TFT device, comprising:

• a substrate;
• a gate insulating layer disposed on the substrate, wherein the gate insulating layer includes a substantially hydrogen free silicon oxide layer;
• an active channel disposed on the gate insulating layer, wherein the active channel includes at least one of InGaZnO, InGaZnON, ZnO, ZnON, ZnSnO, CdSnO, GaSnO, TiSnO, CuAlO, SrCuO, LaCuOS, GaN, InGaN, AlGaN or InGaAlN;
• a source-drain electrode disposed on the active channel;
• and
• a passivation layer disposed on the source-drain electrode layer, wherein the passivation layer includes a substantially hydrogen free silicon oxide layer, wherein the substantially hydrogen free silicon oxide layer is made by the following steps:
• supplying a gas mixture having a silicon-based gas, an inert gas, and an oxygen containing gas into a processing chamber, the gas mixture having a volumetric flow rate per surface area of substrate of the inert gas that is between about 11 times to about 80 times a volumetric flow rate per surface area of substrate of the silicon-based gas;
• applying a RF power to ignite the gas mixture into a plasma;
• and
• forming a substantially hydrogen free silicon oxide layer on the substrate;
• and
• in-situ thermal treating the substrate after the silicon oxide layer is formed on the substrate to a temperature between about 450 degrees Celsius and about 500 degrees Celsius in the processing chamber for less than 5 minutes.