A method and apparatus for the unusually high rate deposition of thin film materials on a stationary or continuous substrate. The method includes the in situ generation of a neutral-enriched deposition medium that is conducive to the formation of thin film materials having a low intrinsic defect concentration at any speed. In one embodiment, the deposition medium is created by forming a plasma from an energy transferring gas; combining the plasma with a precursor gas to form a set of activated species that include ions, ion-radicals, and neutrals; and selectively excluding the species that promote the formation of defects to form the deposition medium. In another embodiment, the deposition medium is created by mixing an energy transferring gas and a precursor gas, forming a plasma from the mixture to form a set of activated species, and selectively excluding the species that promote the formation of defects. The apparatus has a control for the entire manufacturing process that includes a diagnostic element and a feedback control element to permit process programming to achieve and maintain the optimal distribution of one or more preferred species throughout the deposition process.