A process for depositing a layer of reactively sputtered aluminum oxide on a wafer is disclosed, having particular application in semiconductor fabrication. A wafer is provided with a layer of aluminum (or aluminum with 1% silicon) having a thickness of generally one micron, using common semiconductor fabrication techniques. The wafer with its aluminum layer is disposed within a vacuum chamber which has been evacuated. An argon sputtering gas is introduced into the chamber along with oxygen, such that aluminum oxide is formed in the plasma region and deposited on the aluminum layer. Using this technique, a 300 angstroms aluminum oxide layer is deposited over the existing aluminum layer on the wafer, thereby forming an aluminum oxide cap layer. The presence of the aluminum oxide cap layer has been found to significantly reduce the formation of mouse bites and notches, as well as initial film stress during fabrication.
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