PLASMA TREATMENT OF HYDROGEN SILSLSQUIOXANE (HSQ) BASED ULTRA LOW-K FILMS

摘要

A H_2/N_2 + CF_4 plasma treatment followed by a rapid thermal annealing process has been developed to modify the inner structure of Dow Corning porous XLK films for improved material properties. A thermally cured XLK film exhibits characteristic Si-H vibrational bonds that are removed during the plasma treatment, resulting in significant enhancement of the mechanical properties of the XLK film. The Young's modulus increases from less than 3 GPa for the untreated XLK film to more than 6 GPa after the plasma process. Accompanied with the modulus increase of the plasma treatment the films exhibit an increase in the dielectric constant, which can be successfully restored to its original low k-value of XLK by a two-minute rapid thermal annealing at 450℃.