Remote plasma-assisted nitridation or RPN is demonstrated to be a processing pathway for nitridation of Zr and Hf silicate alloys, and for Al2O3, as well. The dependence of nitrogen incorporation on the process pressure is qualitatively similar to what has been reported for the plasma-assisted nitridation of SiO2, the lower the process pressure the greater the nitrogen incorporation in the film. The increased incorporation of nitrogen has been correlated with the penetration of the plasma-glow into the process chamber, and the accompanying increase in the concentration of N-2(+) ions that participate in the reactions leading to bulk incorporation. The nitrogen incorporation as been studied by Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.