← Back to Patent Explorer
US4652467A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Inorganic-polymer-derived dielectric films

Assignee: United States Department of Energy
•
Filing: 1985-02-25
•
Granted: 1987-03-24
•
Expires: 2005-02-25
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract A method of coating a substrate with a thin film of a polymer of predetermined porosity comprises depositing the thin film on the substrate from a non-gelled solution comprising at least one hydrolyzable metal alkoxide of a polymeric network forming cation, water, an alcohol compatible with the hydrolysis and the polymerization of the metal alkoxide, and an acid or a base, prior to depositing the film, controlling the structure of the polymer for a given composition of the solution exclusive of the acid or base component and the water component, (a) by adjusting each of the water content, the pH, and the temperature to obtain the desired concentration of alkoxide, and then adjusting the time of standing of the solution prior to lowering the temperature of the solution, and (b) lowering the temperature of the solution after the time of standing to about 15 degrees C. or lower to trap the solution in a state in which, after the depositing step, a coating of the desired porosity will be obtained, and curing the deposited film at a temperature effective for curing whereby there is obtained a thin film of a polymer of a predetermined porosity and corresponding pore size on the substrate.

Inventors

  • 👤 C. Jeffrey Brinker
  • 👤 Keith D. Keefer
  • 👤 Patrick M. Lenahan

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-29 19:36
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P14/00; H10P14/60; H10P14/66; H10P14/665; B; B05; B05D; B05D5/00; B05D5/12; C; C08; C08G; C08G79/00; C09; C09D; C09D4/00; H01; H01B; H01B3/00; H01B3/18; H01B3/30; H10P14/63; H10P14/6326; H10P14/6342; H10P14/69; H10P14/692; H10P14/6921; H10P14/6922

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim 246 words
A method of coating a substrate with a thin film of a polymer of predetermined porosity, comprising: depositing the thin film on the substrate from a dilute non-gelled solution comprising at least one hydrolyzable metal alkoxide of a polyermic network-forming cation, water, an alochol or other solvent compatible with the hydrolysis and the polymerization of the metal alkoxide, and an acid or a base, wherein the concentration of the alkoxide in said solution is about 1 to 12 equivalent weight %, and prior to the depositing said film, controlling the structure of said polymer for a given composition of said solution exclusive of the acid or base component and the water component, (a) by adjusting each of the water content, the pH, and the temperature to obtain the desired concetration of alkoxide, and then adjusting the time of standing of said solution prior to lowering the temperature of said solution, and (b) lowering the temperature of the solution after said time of standing to about 15 degrees C or lower to trap said solution in a state in which, after said depositing step, a coating of the desired porosity will be obtained, and curing said deposited film by removing a sufficient quantity of solvent to cause gelation, and heating said film at a temperature compatible with the substrate and effective for crosslinking and densifying said film, whereby there is obtained on the substrate a thin film of a polymer of predetermined porosity and corresponding pore size.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 246 words
A method of coating a substrate with a thin film of a polymer of predetermined porosity, comprising: depositing the thin film on the substrate from a dilute non-gelled solution comprising at least one hydrolyzable metal alkoxide of a polyermic network-forming cation, water, an alochol or other solvent compatible with the hydrolysis and the polymerization of the metal alkoxide, and an acid or a base, wherein the concentration of the alkoxide in said solution is about 1 to 12 equivalent weight %, and prior to the depositing said film, controlling the structure of said polymer for a given composition of said solution exclusive of the acid or base component and the water component, (a) by adjusting each of the water content, the pH, and the temperature to obtain the desired concetration of alkoxide, and then adjusting the time of standing of said solution prior to lowering the temperature of said solution, and (b) lowering the temperature of the solution after said time of standing to about 15 degrees C or lower to trap said solution in a state in which, after said depositing step, a coating of the desired porosity will be obtained, and curing said deposited film by removing a sufficient quantity of solvent to cause gelation, and heating said film at a temperature compatible with the substrate and effective for crosslinking and densifying said film, whereby there is obtained on the substrate a thin film of a polymer of predetermined porosity and corresponding pore size.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 41 words
A method of claim 1, for forming a film of intermediate and large pores, wherein the amount of water in said solution is greater than about 10 moles per mole of total alkoxides, and said pH is greater than about 2.5.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 24 words
A method of claim 2, wherein said pH is greater than about 7 and said time of standing is up to about one week.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 17 words
A method of claim 3, wherein said pores are about 100 to about 500 Å in diameter.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 31 words
A method of claim 1, wherein the amount of water in said solution is 4 to 10 moles per mole of total alkoxides, and said pH is greater than about 4.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 25 words
A method of claim 5, wherein the pH is 4 to about 7 and said time of standing is about 2 to about 3 weeks.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 39 words
A method of claim 1, for coating a film of small pores wherein the amount of water in said solution is less than about 4 moles per mole of total alkoxides, and said pH is greater than about 5.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 14 words
A method of claim 7, wherein said pH is about 8 to about 9.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 16 words
A method of claim 7, wherein said time of standing is up to about one month.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 49 words
A method of claim 1, for coating a film of small pores wherein the amount of water in said solution is less than about 4 moles per mole of total alkoxides, said pH is less than about 4 and said time of standing is up to about one month.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 20 words
A method of claim 1, wherein the temperature of the solution during said time of standing is about 40°-80° C.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 20 words
A method of claim 1 wherein the temperature of the solution during said time of standing is about 40°-80° C.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 17 words
A method of claim 12, wherein the solution is maintained at said lowered temperature for storage purposes.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 16 words
A method of claim 1, wherein said film is of a thickness of about 100-10,000 Å.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 33 words
A method of claim 1, wherein the metal in the alkoxide is silicon and the alcohol is a C 2-3 -alkanol and the acid is HCl or the base is NH 4 OH.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3301706A Cited
US3772066A Cited
US4277525A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1990-03-23 1990-09-22 1991-03-24 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1994-03-23 1994-09-22 1995-03-24 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1998-03-23 1998-09-22 1999-03-24 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag