Adhesion improvement for low k dielectrics

A method for processing a substrate, comprising:

• positioning the substrate in a processing chamber, wherein the substrate has a barrier layer comprising silicon, nitrogen, and carbon;
• introducing an inert gas into the processing chamber;
• generating a first plasma from a single-frequency RE power source to modify a surface of the barrier layer;
• introducing an organosilicon compound and an oxidizing gas in a ratio of about 1:1 into the processing chamber;
• generating a second plasma from a dual-frequency RE power source to form an initiation layer on the barrier layer;
• introducing the organosilicon compound and the oxidizing gas in a ratio of greater than or equal to about 10:1 into the processing chamber;
• and
• depositing a first dielectric layer adjacent the dielectric initiation layer, wherein the dielectric layer comprises silicon, oxygen, and carbon and has a dielectric constant of about 3 or less.

A method for processing a substrate, comprising:

• positioning the substrate in a processing chamber, wherein the substrate has a barrier layer comprising at least silicon and carbon;
• introducing an oxidizing gas into the processing chamber;
• generating a plasma of the oxidizing gas and treating a surface of the barrier layer;
• introducing an organosilicon compound at a first flow rate;
• depositing an initiation layer on the barrier layer from the oxidizing gas and the organosilicon compound;
• introducing the organosilicon compound at a second flow rate greater than the first flow rate;
• depositing a first dielectric layer adjacent the dielectric initiation layer from the oxidizing gas and the organosilicon compound, wherein the dielectric layer comprises silicon, oxygen, and carbon and has a dielectric constant of about 3 or less.

A method for processing a substrate, comprising:

• positioning the substrate in a processing chamber, wherein the substrate has a barrier layer comprising at least silicon and carbon;
• introducing an oxidizing gas into the processing chamber;
• generating a plasma of the oxidizing gas;
• and
• forming an initiation layer on the barrier layer by exposing the barrier layer to the plasma of the oxidizing gas;
• introducing an organosilicon compound into the processing chamber after forming the initiation layer;
• reacting the organosilicon compound and the oxidizing gas;
• and
• depositing a first dielectric layer adjacent the initiation layer, wherein the dielectric layer comprises silicon, oxygen, and carbon and has a dielectric constant of about 3 or less.