Plasma curing process for porous low-k materials

US6913796B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignees

• Axcelis Technologies, Inc. · US
• Dow Corning Corporation · US

Inventors

• Ralph Albano · Columbia, US
• Cory Bargeron · Midland, US
• Ivan L. Berry, III · Green Valley, US
• Jeff Bremmer · Midland, US
• Phil Dembowski · Midland, US
• Orlando Escorcia · Falls Church, US
• Qingyuan Han · Columbia, US
• Nick Sbrockey · Gaithersburg, US
• Carlo Waldfried · Falls Church, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 14, 2001
• Grant date: Jul 5, 2005
• Expiry date: Sep 14, 2021

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10T428/31663
• WIPO field: Semiconductors
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

Low dielectric constant porous materials with improved elastic modulus and hardness. The process of making such porous materials involves providing a porous dielectric material and plasma curing the porous dielectric material to produce a plasma cured porous dielectric material. Plasma curing of the porous dielectric material yields a material with improved modulus and hardness. The improvement in elastic modulus is typically greater than or about 50%, more typically greater than or about 100%, and more typically greater than or about 200%. The improvement in hardness is typically greater than or about 50%. The plasma cured porous dielectric material can optionally be post-plasma treated. The post-plasma treatment of the plasma cured porous dielectric material reduces the dielectric constant of the material while maintaining an improved elastic modulus and hardness as compared to the plasma cured porous dielectric material. The post-plasma treated, plasma cured porous dielectric material has a dielectric constant between about 1.1 and about 3.5 and an improved elastic modulus and hardness.