US4981530A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Planarizing ladder-type silsesquioxane polymer insulation layer
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1988-11-28
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Granted: 1991-01-01
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Expires: 2008-11-28
Abstract
Abstract An improved insulation layer is formed by first preparing a solution by reacting water with an aminoalkoxysilane monomer in a solvent, using a critical mole ratio of water/monomer. After a sufficient aging period, the solution is coated onto a suitable surface, e.g. the surface of a semiconductor device, and then cured, in an essentially oxygen-free atmosphere, to a ladder-type silsesquioxane polymer. The insulation layer demonstrates excellent planarizing characteristics, while also exhibiting enhanced crack-resistance.
Inventors
- 👤 Donna J. Clodgo
- 👤 Rosemary A. Previti-Kelly
- 👤 Ronald R. Uttecht
- 👤 Erick G. Walton
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 19:31
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P14/00; H10P14/60; H10P14/69; H10P14/692; H10P14/6921; H10P14/6922; H10W; H10W74/00; H10W74/40; H10W74/47; H10P14/63; H10P14/6326; H10P14/6342; H10P14/66; H10P14/668; H10P14/6681; H10P14/6684; H10P14/6686
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
110 words
A method of forming an insulation layer on a surface, comprising the steps of: reacting water with an aminoalkoxysilane monomer in a solvent to form a solution of a low molecular weight oligomer in said solvent, said reaction being carried out by employing a mole ratio of water/monomer in the range from about 1.3/1 to about 1.7/1; allowing said solution to age for a period of time which is sufficient to allow condensation reactions to stabilize; coating said surface with a layer of said aged solution; and heating said coated surface in an essentially oxygen-free atmosphere and under such conditions as to form a layer of cured ladder-type silsesquioxane polymer.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
110 words
A method of forming an insulation layer on a surface, comprising the steps of: reacting water with an aminoalkoxysilane monomer in a solvent to form a solution of a low molecular weight oligomer in said solvent, said reaction being carried out by employing a mole ratio of water/monomer in the range from about 1.3/1 to about 1.7/1; allowing said solution to age for a period of time which is sufficient to allow condensation reactions to stabilize; coating said surface with a layer of said aged solution; and heating said coated surface in an essentially oxygen-free atmosphere and under such conditions as to form a layer of cured ladder-type silsesquioxane polymer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said reaction is carried out by employing a mole ratio of water/monomer in the range from about 1.4/1 to about 1.6/1.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 2, wherein said reaction is carried out by employing a mole ratio of water/monomer in the range from about 1.45/1 to about 1.55/1.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
91 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said aminoalkoxysilane monomer is an aminotrialkoxysilane represented by the formula: ##STR5## wherein: R 1 is a hydrogen atom; a saturated hydrocarbon residue or an amino-substituted, saturated hydrocarbon residue, having 1 to 5 carbon atoms; a phenyl group or an alkyl-substituted phenyl group or derivatives thereof, the alkyl group having 1 to 5 carbon atoms; R 2 is a saturated hydrocarbon residue having 2 to 6 carbon atoms; and R 3 is a saturated hydrocarbon residue having 1 to 5 carbon atoms; or a mixture thereof.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said solvent is selected from the group consisting of methanol, ethanol and isopropanol.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said aminoalkoxysilane monomer is first dissolved in a non-aqueous solvent to form a solution of said monomer in said solvent, and then water is added to said solution.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said solution is allowed to age for a period of at least about 8 hours.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said coated surface is heated in excess of about 150° C.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said cured silsesquioxane polymer has an organic content of at least about 50 percent.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
183 words
A method of forming an insulation layer on a surface of a semiconductor device, comprising the steps of: dissolving an aminotrialkoxysilane monomer in a non-aqueous solvent to form a solution of said monomer in said solvent, said aminotrialkoxysilane monomer being represented by the formula: ##STR6## wherein: R 1 is a hydrogen atom or a saturated hydrocarbon residue or an amino-substituted, saturated hydrocarbon residue, having 2 or 3 carbon atoms; R 2 is a saturated hydrocarbon residue having 3 to 6 carbon atoms; and R 3 is a saturated hydrocarbon residue having 1 to 4 carbon atoms; or a mixture thereof; adding water to said solution in a mole ratio of water/monomer in the range from about 1.4/1 to about 1.6/1; allowing said solution to age for a period of time which is sufficient to allow condensation reactions to stabilize; coating said surface with a layer of said aged solution; and heating said coated surface in an essentially oxygen-free atmosphere and under such conditions as to form a layer of cured ladder-type silsesquioxane polymer having an organic content of at least about 50 percent.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
183 words
A method of forming an insulation layer on a surface of a semiconductor device, comprising the steps of: dissolving an aminotrialkoxysilane monomer in a non-aqueous solvent to form a solution of said monomer in said solvent, said aminotrialkoxysilane monomer being represented by the formula: ##STR6## wherein: R 1 is a hydrogen atom or a saturated hydrocarbon residue or an amino-substituted, saturated hydrocarbon residue, having 2 or 3 carbon atoms; R 2 is a saturated hydrocarbon residue having 3 to 6 carbon atoms; and R 3 is a saturated hydrocarbon residue having 1 to 4 carbon atoms; or a mixture thereof; adding water to said solution in a mole ratio of water/monomer in the range from about 1.4/1 to about 1.6/1; allowing said solution to age for a period of time which is sufficient to allow condensation reactions to stabilize; coating said surface with a layer of said aged solution; and heating said coated surface in an essentially oxygen-free atmosphere and under such conditions as to form a layer of cured ladder-type silsesquioxane polymer having an organic content of at least about 50 percent.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 10, wherein a mole ratio of water/monomer in the range from about 1.45/1 to about 1.55/1 is employed.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 11, wherein said aminotrialkoxysilane monomer is selected from the group consisting of γ-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane, γ-aminopropyltriethoxysilane, N-β-(aminoethyl)-γ-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane and N-β-(aminoethyl)-γ-aminopropyltriethoxysilane.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
48 words
The method of claim 12, wherein said solvent is selected from the group consisting of methanol, ethanol and propanol; said solution is allowed to age for a period ranging from about 24 to about 72 hours; and said coated substrate is heated in excess of about 150° C.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 13, wherein said reaction is carried out by employing a mole ratio of water/monomer of about 1.5/1; and said cured silsesquioxane polymer has an organic content of at least about 70 percent.
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