Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
153 words
An in-line method of planarizing a substrate with a metallic interconnect layer formed thereon, comprising sequentially depositing a plurality of spin-on glass component layers on said substrate to form a composite planarization layer; said spin-on glass component layers comprising a mixture of a silanol polymer (Si x O y (OHP z ) or an organosilanol (Si w O x (OH) y (OC 2 H 5 ) z ), phosphorus organometallic catalyst (P w O x (OH) y (OR) z ), water, and a mixture of alcohols; each component spin-on glass layer being subjected to in-line heat treatment at a temperature of 300°-425° C. prior to application of the next component layer for a time, which is in the order of 60 seconds, that is just sufficient to connect the organometallic catalyst and reduce residual carbon atomic concentration after connection of the organometallic catalyst to less than 1% without destroying the underlying interconnect layer.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
153 words
An in-line method of planarizing a substrate with a metallic interconnect layer formed thereon, comprising sequentially depositing a plurality of spin-on glass component layers on said substrate to form a composite planarization layer; said spin-on glass component layers comprising a mixture of a silanol polymer (Si x O y (OHP z ) or an organosilanol (Si w O x (OH) y (OC 2 H 5 ) z ), phosphorus organometallic catalyst (P w O x (OH) y (OR) z ), water, and a mixture of alcohols; each component spin-on glass layer being subjected to in-line heat treatment at a temperature of 300°-425° C. prior to application of the next component layer for a time, which is in the order of 60 seconds, that is just sufficient to connect the organometallic catalyst and reduce residual carbon atomic concentration after connection of the organometallic catalyst to less than 1% without destroying the underlying interconnect layer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that each thin layer is cured at a temperature in the order of 350° C.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
49 words
A method as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that each thin layer is cured for the full curing time that would be required to remove the volatile by-products from a single spin-on glass layer having a thickness equal to the composite thickness of said plurality of component layers.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said spin-on glass is an inorganic spin-on glass.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
59 words
A method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said spin-on glass is cured at a temperature of at least 300° C. with the aid of heating means selected from the group consisting of: in-line high temperature plates, an in-line oven, an in-line plasma cure device, an in-line microwave device, an in-line ozone device, and an-line UV-ozone device.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the thickness of each component layer is in the order of 67 nm.