Process of curing hydrogen silsesquioxane coating to form silicon oxide layer
First Claim
1. A process for converting a hydrogen silsesquioxane coating on a substrate to SiO2 which comprises:
- a) coating a substrate with a hydrogen silsesquioxane coating, and then, after drying said coated substrate;
b) inserting said coated substrate into a furnace preheated to a temperature of at least about 300°
C. prior to said inserting of said coated substrate therein;
c) igniting a plasma in said furnace immediately after said insertion of said coated substrate therein;
d) further heating said coated substrate in said furnace in the presence of said plasma to a curing temperature of at least about 400°
C.;
e) maintaining the coated substrate at said curing temperature until substantially all of the hydrogen silsesquioxane coating material has been converted to SiO2 while still maintaining said plasma in said furnace;
f) then extinguishing said plasma; and
g) subsequently removing said SiO2 -coated substrate from said furnace.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A process is disclosed for curing a hydrogen silsesquioxane coating material to form SiO2 by first placing the coating material in a preheated furnace; igniting a plasma ignited in the furnace immediately after insertion of the coating material therein; then raising the temperature of the furnace up to a predetermined curing temperature, while still maintaining the plasma in the chamber; maintaining the coating material at the curing temperature until substantially all of the coating material has cured to form SiO2 ; and then extinguishing the plasma and cooling the furnace. In another embodiment, the coating material is cured, with or without the assistance of heat and a plasma, in an ultrahigh vacuum, i.e., a vacuum of at least 10-5 Torr or better, and preferably at least 10-6 Torr or better.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A process for converting a hydrogen silsesquioxane coating on a substrate to SiO2 which comprises:
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a) coating a substrate with a hydrogen silsesquioxane coating, and then, after drying said coated substrate; b) inserting said coated substrate into a furnace preheated to a temperature of at least about 300°
C. prior to said inserting of said coated substrate therein;c) igniting a plasma in said furnace immediately after said insertion of said coated substrate therein; d) further heating said coated substrate in said furnace in the presence of said plasma to a curing temperature of at least about 400°
C.;e) maintaining the coated substrate at said curing temperature until substantially all of the hydrogen silsesquioxane coating material has been converted to SiO2 while still maintaining said plasma in said furnace; f) then extinguishing said plasma; and g) subsequently removing said SiO2 -coated substrate from said furnace. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A process for converting substantially all of a hydrogen silsesquioxane coating on a substrate to SiO2 which comprises:
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a) coating a substrate with a hydrogen silsesquioxane coating, and then, after drying said coated substrate; b) inserting said coated substrate into a furnace preheated to a temperature of at least about 300°
C.;c) igniting a plasma in said furnace immediately after inserting said coated substrate therein; d) maintaining said coated substrate in said furnace at said preheated temperature and in the presence of said plasma for a period of at least about 5 minutes before raising the temperature in said furnace; e) then raising the temperature of the furnace to a curing temperature of at least about 600°
over a period of at least about 5 minutes;f) maintaining the coated substrate at said curing temperature for a period of at least about 20 minutes while maintaining said plasma in said furnace to permit substantially all of said hydrogen silsesquioxane coating material to convert to SiO2 ; g) then extinguishing said plasma and cooling said furnace back to said preheated temperature; and h) subsequently removing said SiO2 -coated substrate from said furnace. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A process for converting substantially all of a hydrogen silsesquioxane coating on a substrate to SiO2 which comprises:
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a) coating a substrate with a hydrogen silsesquioxane coating, and then, after drying said coated substrate; b) inserting said coated substrate into a furnace preheated to a temperature of at least about 400°
C. and maintained at a pressure not exceeding 1 Torr;c) igniting a plasma in said chamber immediately after inserting said coated substrate therein, said plasma having a power ranging from about 25 watts to about 2000 watts and a duty cycle ranging from about 40% to about 90%; d) preheating said coated substrate for a period of at least about 10 minutes in said preheated furnace in the presence of said plasma; e) then raising the temperature of said furnace to a curing temperature of at least about 700°
over a period of at least about 5 minutes;f) maintaining said coated substrate at said curing temperature for a period of at least about 20 minutes to convert substantially all of said hydrogen silsesquioxane coating material to SiO2 while still maintaining said plasma in said furnace; g) then extinguishing said plasma and cooling said furnace back to at least said preheated temperature; h) maintaining said coated substrate in said furnace for a period of at least about 10 minutes after said cooling step commences; and i) subsequently removing said SiO2 -coated substrate from said furnace.
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Specification