A process for depositing a high quality smooth and continuous
silicon-containing film comprising: a) providing at least one substrate in a reactor, b) heating the reactor to at least one temperature in the range of ambient temperature to about 750 DEG C, and optionally maintaining the reactor at a pressure of about 100
torr or less, c) introducing into the reactor at least one first
silicon precursor comprising at least one organic amino group and at least one
halide group and having the formula: SiHmXn (NR1R2) 4-m-n wherein m-0, 1, 2; m is 1, n-1, 2, 3, and m + n is less than 3; x is selected from the group consisting of Cl, Br and I; r1 and R2 are each independently selected from the group consisting of a linear or branched C1 to C10
alkyl group, a linear or branched C3 to C10 alkenyl group, a linear or branched C3 to C10 alkynyl group, a C3 to C10 cycloalkyl group, a C2 to C6 dialkylamino group, an
electron withdrawing group, and a C6 to C10
aryl group, to form a first
silicon-containing layer, d) purging any unreacted precursor from the reactor with an
inert gas, e) introducing a
nitrogen source to react with the first silicon-containing layer to form a seed layer comprising at least one selected from the group consisting of
silicon nitride and carbon-doped
silicon nitride, f) purging the reactor with an
inert gas, g) introducing into the reactor at least one second silicon precursor comprising a halogenated silicon-containing compound, the first silicon-containing layer comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of
silicon nitride, carbon-doped silicon
nitride,
silicon oxynitride, and carbon-doped
silicon oxynitride, h) purging the reactor with an
inert gas, i) introducing a
nitrogen source to react with the second silicon-containing layer to form silicon
nitride or carbon-doped silicon
nitride, and d) introducing a
nitrogen source to react with the silicon nitride or carbon-doped silicon nitride to form a second silicon-containing layer comprising at least one selected from the group consisting of silicon nitride, carbon-doped silicon nitride and carbon-doped
silicon oxynitride. And j) purging the reactor with an
inert gas.