Re-establishing a hydrophobic surface of sensitive low-k dielectrics in microstructure devices
OwnerMatthias Schaller, Thomas Oszinda +2inventors
InventorsMatthias Schaller, Thomas Oszinda, Susanne Leppack, Daniel Fischer
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Abstract
Silicon oxide based low-k dielectric materials may be provided with a hydrophobic low-k surface area, even after exposure to a reactive process ambient, by performing a surface treatment on the basis of hexamethylcyclotrisilazane and/or octamethylcyclotetrasilazane. In addition to the surface treatment, a polymerization may be initiated on the basis of a hydrophobic surface nature of the silicon-based dielectric material, thereby increasing the chemical stability during the further processing.
Claims24
A method of forming a low-k dielectric material above a substrate, the method comprising:
- forming a silicon and oxygen containing dielectric material above said substrate;
- and
- performing a surface treatment on at least a portion of a surface of said silicon and oxygen containing dielectric material on the basis of at least one of hexamethylcyclotrisilizane and octamethylcyclotetrasilazane so as to reduce a dielectric constant at least at said portion of the silicon and oxygen containing dielectric material.
A method of forming a low-k dielectric material in a microstructure device, the method comprising:
- forming a silicon and oxygen containing dielectric material above a substrate;
- and
- performing a treatment for forming cross-links in said surface by supplying one or more chemical reagents to said surface to react with polar Si—OH groups contained in said surface.
A microstructure device, comprising:
- a low-k dielectric material formed above a substrate, said low k-dielectric material comprising silicon and oxygen and a hydrophobic interface portion with a polymerized surface structure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.