Patent · US Expired

Low dielectric constant layers via immiscible sol-gel processing

US5750415A · kind A · utility

53Cited by
6References
15Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 27, 1994
Grant dateMay 12, 1998
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 27, 2014

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01L2924/0002
  • WIPO fieldSemiconductors
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method for forming air gaps 22 between metal leads 16 of a semiconductor device. A metal layer is deposited on a substrate 12. The metal layer is etched to form metal leads 16, exposing portions of the substrate 12. A disposable liquid 18 is deposited on the metal leads 16 and the exposed portions of substrate 12, and a top portion of the disposable liquid 18 is removed to lower the disposable liquid 18 to at least the tops of the leads 16. A porous silica precursor film 20 is deposited on the disposable liquid 18 and over the tops of the leads 16. The porous silica precursor film 20 is gelled to form a low-porosity silica film 24. The disposable liquid 18 is removed through the low-porosity silica film 24 to form air gaps 22 between metal leads 16 beneath the low-porosity silica film 24. The air gaps 22 have a low dielectric constant and result in reduced capacitance between the metal leads and decreased power consumption.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.