Sealing porous dielectric materials

• US 7,560,165 B2
• Filed: 06/07/2005
• Issued: 07/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Bruner, Don, Meagley, Robert P., Goodner, Michael D., Kloster, Grant, O'brien, Kevin P.
• Primary Examiner(s): LIGHTFOOT, ELENA TSOY
• Application Number:
  US11/147,909
• Publication Number:
  US 20050227094A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,498 Days
• Field of Search: 428/304.4, 428/315.5, 428/319, 427/304.4, 427/315.5, 427/319.3, 427/447
• US Class Current: 428/447
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2310/12 using dielectric properties
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2457/00 Electrical equipment
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 3/26 characterised by a particular shape of the outline of the cross-section of a continuous layer; characterised by a layer with cavities or internal voids foam layer B32B5/18; layer of synthetic resin characterised by fillers that create voids or cavities B32B27/205; characterised by an apertured layer
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76814 post-treatment or after-treatment, e.g. cleaning or removal of oxides on underlying conductors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249953 Composite having voids in a component [e.g., porous, cellular, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249978 Voids specified as micro
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249993 Hydrocarbon polymer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31663 As siloxane, silicone or silane

Abstract

Method and structure for minimizing the downsides associated with microelectronic device processing adjacent porous dielectric materials are disclosed. In particular, chemical protocols are disclosed wherein porous dielectric materials may besealed by attaching coupling agents to the surfaces of pores. The coupling agents may form all or part of caps on reactive groups in the dielectric surface or may crosslink to seal pores in the dielectric.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a substrate layer,

a porous dielectric layer adjacent the substrate layer with an exposed pore having an opening, wherein the exposed pore is disposed on at least one of a surface of the porous dielectric layer and a sidewall of a trench disposed within the porous dielectric layer; and

a barrier across the opening of the exposed pore, wherein the barrier comprises a first barrier molecule with a silicon atom coupled to a surface of one side of the exposed pore, a sulfur atom, and a flexible chain between the silicon atom and the sulfur atom, wherein the flexible chain comprises a portion of a bridge structure that is capable of sealing the surface of the exposed pore, and a second barrier molecule with a silicon atom coupled to a surface of an opposite side of the exposed pore, wherein the first and second barrier molecules are connected to each other across the surface of the exposed pore.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the flexible chain comprises a substantially long chain of CH₂ groups.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein the substantially long chain of CH₂ groups comprises at least four CH₂ groups.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the exposed pore is in a range from about 20 angstroms to about 100 angstroms, and the barrier comprises about 6 to about 30 crosslinked barrier molecules.