Patent · US Expired

Method for characterizing porous low dielectric constant films

US7421885B2 · kind B2 · utility

5Cited by
2References
6Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 28, 2005
Grant dateSep 9, 2008
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 25, 2026

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01N15/0893
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A method and apparatus for determining pore size distribution and/or the presence of at least one killer pore in at least a portion of a porous film deposited upon a substrate are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, there is provided a method for determining pore size distribution comprising: providing the substrate having the film deposited thereupon wherein the film comprises pores and wherein the pores have a first volume; exposing the film to an adsorbate at a temperature and a pressure sufficient to provide condensation of the adsorbate in pores and wherein the pores after the exposing step have a second volume; and measuring the difference between the first and the second volume using a volumetric technique; and calculating the pore size and pore volume using the change in the first and the second volume, the pressure, and a model that relates pressure to pore diameter.

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