A system to form a dielectric layer on a substrate from a plasma of dielectric precursors is described. The system may include a deposition chamber, a substrate stage in the deposition chamber to hold the substrate, and a remote plasma generating system coupled to the deposition chamber, where the plasma generating system is used to generate a dielectric precursor having one or more reactive radicals. The system may also include a radiative heating system to heat the substrate that includes at least one light source, where at least some of the light emitted from the light source travels through the top side of the deposition chamber before reaching the substrate. The system may also include a precursor distribution system to introduce the reactive radical precursor and additional dielectric precursors to the deposition chamber. An in-situ plasma generating system may also be included to generate the plasma in the deposition chamber from the dielectric precursors supplied to the deposition chamber.