Mechanical enhancement of dense and porous organosilicate materials by UV exposure
First Claim
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1. A process for improving a material hardness and an elastic modulus of an organosilicate film, the process comprising:
- depositing the organosilicate film onto at least a portion of a substrate via chemical vapor deposition of at least one chemical reagent comprising a structure-former precursor and a pore-former precursor; and
exposing the organosilicate film to an ultraviolet radiation source within a non-oxidizing atmosphere wherein the material hardness and the elastic modulus of the organosilicate film after the exposing step are higher than the material hardness and the elastic modulus of the organosilicate film before the exposing step wherein the dielectric constant of the organosilicate film after the exposing step is at least 5% less than the dielectric constant of the organosilicate film before the exposing step.
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Abstract
Low dielectric materials and films comprising same have been identified for improved performance when used as interlevel dielectrics in integrated circuits as well as methods for making same. In one aspect of the present invention, an organosilicate glass film is exposed to an ultraviolet light source wherein the film after exposure has an at least 10% or greater improvement in its mechanical properties (i.e., material hardness and elastic modulus) compared to the as-deposited film.
508 Citations
31 Claims
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1. A process for improving a material hardness and an elastic modulus of an organosilicate film, the process comprising:
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depositing the organosilicate film onto at least a portion of a substrate via chemical vapor deposition of at least one chemical reagent comprising a structure-former precursor and a pore-former precursor; and exposing the organosilicate film to an ultraviolet radiation source within a non-oxidizing atmosphere wherein the material hardness and the elastic modulus of the organosilicate film after the exposing step are higher than the material hardness and the elastic modulus of the organosilicate film before the exposing step wherein the dielectric constant of the organosilicate film after the exposing step is at least 5% less than the dielectric constant of the organosilicate film before the exposing step. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A chemical vapor deposition method for improving a material hardness and an elastic modulus of an organosilicate film represented by the formula SivOwCxFz, where v+w+x+v+z =100%, v is from 10 to 35 atomic %, w is from 10 to 65 atomic %, x is from 5 to 30 atomic %, y is from 10 to 50 atomic %, and z is from 0 to 15 atomic %, the method comprising:
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providing a substrate within a vacuum chamber; introducing at least one chemical reagent comprising a structure-former precursor selected from the group consisting of an organosilane and an organosiloxane and a pore-former precursor wherein at least one of pore-former precursor and the structure-former precursor is the same compound and is at least one member selected from the group consisting of 1-neohexyl-1,3,5,7-tetramethyl-cyclotetrasiloxane, di-neohexyl-diethoxysilane, 1,4-bis(diethoxysilyl)cyclohexane, or mixtures thereof into the vacuum chamber; applying energy to the at least one chemical reagent in the vacuum chamber to induce reaction of the at least one chemical reagent to deposit an organosilicate film on at least a portion of the substrate; and exposing the organosilicate film to an ultraviolet light source within a non-oxidizing atmosphere wherein the material hardness and the elastic modulus of the organosilicate material after the exposing step are higher than the material hardness and the elastic modulus of the organosilicate material before the exposing step. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A process for improving a material hardness and an elastic modulus of an organosilicate film having a dielectric constant, the process comprising:
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depositing the organosilicate film onto at least a portion of a substrate via chemical vapor deposition of at least one chemical reagent comprising a structure-former precursor provided that the at least one chemical reagent is substantially free of a pore-former precursor; and exposing the organosilicate film to an energy source comprising an ultraviolet radiation source wherein the material hardness and the elastic modulus of the organosilicate film after the exposing step are higher than the material hardness and the elastic modulus of the organosilicate film before the exposing step and wherein the dielectric constant of the organosilicate film after the exposing step is the substantially the same as or less than the dielectric constant of the organosilicate film before the exposing step. - View Dependent Claims (26)
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27. A process for improving a material hardness and an elastic modulus of a porous organosilicate film having a dielectric constant, the process comprising:
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depositing at least one chemical reagent comprising a structure-former precursor and a pore-former precursor onto at least a portion of a substrate to provide an as-deposited film; and exposing the as-deposited film to at least one energy source comprising an ultraviolet light source to remove at least a portion of the pore-former precursor contained therein and provide the porous organosilicate film wherein the material hardness and the elastic modulus of the porous organosilicate film after the exposing step are higher than a material hardness and an elastic modulus of the as-deposited film before the exposing step and wherein the dielectric constant of the porous organosilicate film after the exposing step is at least 5% less than a dielectric constant of the as-deposited film before the exposing step. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31)
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Specification