US6042994A
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Nanoporous silica dielectric films modified by electron beam exposure and having low dielectric constant and low water content
Assignee: Honeywell International Inc
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Filing: 1999-01-08
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Granted: 2000-03-28
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Expires: 2019-01-08
Abstract
Abstract Nanoporous silica dielectric films are modified by electron beam exposure after an optional hydrophobic treatment by an organic reactant. After formation of the film onto a substrate, the substrate is placed inside a large area electron beam exposure system. The resulting films are characterized by having a low dielectric constant and low water or silanol content compared to thermally cured films. Also, e-beam cured films have higher mechanical strength and better resistance to chemical solvents and oxygen plasmas compared to thermally cured films.
Inventors
- 👤 Jingjun Yang
- 👤 James S. Drage
- 👤 Lynn Forester
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 22:11
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03F; G03F7/00; G03F7/20; G03F7/2051; G03F7/2059; H; H10; H10P; H10P14/00; H10P14/60; H10P14/66; H10P14/665; B; B05; B05D; B05D3/00; B05D3/06; B05D3/068; B05D5/00; B05D5/12; G03F7/16; G03F7/168; H10P14/65; H10P14/6516; H10P14/6536; H10P14/6539; H10P14/68; H10P14/683; H10P95/00; H10P95/90; H10P14/63; H10P14/6326; H10P14/6342; H10P14/668; H10P14/6681; H10P14/6682; H10P14/6684; H10P14/6686; H10P14/69; H10P14/692; H10P14/6921; H10P14/6922
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 31
Claim 1
Independent Claim
69 words
A process for forming a low dielectric constant nanoporous dielectric coating on a substrate which comprises a) forming a nanoporous dielectric polymer composition on a substrate, b) optionally contacting the polymer composition with a surface modification composition; c) optionally heating the film to evaporate solvents from the pores of the film; d) exposing the polymer composition to electron beam radiation; and e) optionally thermally annealing the exposed polymer composition.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
69 words
A process for forming a low dielectric constant nanoporous dielectric coating on a substrate which comprises a) forming a nanoporous dielectric polymer composition on a substrate, b) optionally contacting the polymer composition with a surface modification composition; c) optionally heating the film to evaporate solvents from the pores of the film; d) exposing the polymer composition to electron beam radiation; and e) optionally thermally annealing the exposed polymer composition.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
45 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the electron beam exposure is done at a vacuum in the range of from about 10 -5 to about 10 2 torr, and with a substrate temperature in the range of from about 25° C. to about 1050° C.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the electron beam exposing is conducted at an energy ranging from about 0.5 to about 30 KeV.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the electron beam exposing is conducted at an electron dose ranging from about 500 to about 100,000 μC/cm 2 .
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the electron beam exposing is conducted with a wide, large beam of electron beam radiation from a uniform large-area electron beam source.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
42 words
The process of 1 wherein the electron beam exposing is conducted with a wide, large beam of electron beam radiation from a uniform large-area electron beam source which covers an area of from about 4 square inches to about 256 square inches.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
42 words
The process of 1 wherein the electron beam exposing is conducted with a wide, large beam of electron beam radiation from a uniform large-area electron beam source which covers an area of from about 4 square inches to about 256 square inches.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
40 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the thermal annealing process is conducted by heating the substrate at a temperature in the range of about 200 to about 1050° C. over a period of from about 1 to about 360 minutes.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
11 words
The coated substrate produced according to the process of claim 1.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
56 words
The process of claim 1 wherein step (a) is conducted by a process which comprises i) depositing an alkoxysilane composition onto a surface of a substrate, which alkoxysilane composition comprises at least one alkoxysilane, a solvent composition, optional water, an optional base, an optional acid; ii) curing the alkoxysilane composition to a nanoporous dielectric silica coating.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
33 words
The process of claim 9 wherein the base catalyst is selected from the group consisting of ammonia, primary alkyl amines, secondary alkyl amines, tertiary alkyl amines, aryl amines, alcohol amines and mixtures thereof.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
48 words
The process of claim 9 wherein the alkoxysilane has the formula: ##STR2## wherein at least 2 of the R groups are independently C 1 to C 4 alkoxy groups and the balance, if any, are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, phenyl, halogen, substituted phenyl.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
13 words
The process of claim 10 wherein each R is methoxy, ethoxy or propoxy.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
47 words
The process of claim 10 wherein the alkoxysilane composition comprises at least one organic solvent selected from the group consisting of methanol, ethanol, n-propanol, isopropanol, n-butanol, ethylene glycol, 1,4-butylene glycol, 1,5-pentanediol, 1,2,4-butanetriol, 1,2,3-butanetriol, 2-methyl-propanetriol, 2-(hydroxymethyl)-1,3-propanediol, 1,4,1,4-butanediol, 2-methyl-1,3-propanediol, tetraethylene glycol, triethylene glycol monomethyl ether, glycerol, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
13 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the substrate comprises silicon or gallium arsenide.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
14 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the substrate comprises at least one semiconductor material.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
38 words
The process of claim 14 wherein the semiconductor material is selected from the group consisting of gallium arsenide, silicon, and compositions containing silicon such as crystalline silicon, polysilicon, amorphous silicon, epitaxial silicon, and silicon dioxide, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
16 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the substrate has a pattern of lines on its surface.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
18 words
The process of claim 16 wherein the lines comprise a metal, an oxide, a nitride or an oxynitride.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
21 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the nanoporous dielectric coating has a dielectric constant of from about 1.1 to about 3.5.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
19 words
The process of claim 1 comprising the step (b) of contacting the polymer composition with a surface modification composition.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
117 words
The process of claim 19 the surface modification composition comprises a compound having a formula selected from the group consisting of: R 3 SiNHSiR 3 , R x SiCl y , R x Si(OH) y , R 3 SiOSiR 3 , R x Si(OR) y , M p Si(OH).sub.[4-p], R x Si(OCOCH 3 ) y and combinations thereof, wherein x is an integer ranging from 1 to 3, y is an integer ranging from 1 to 3 such that y=4-x, p is an integer ranging from 2 to 3; each R is an independently selected hydrophobic organic moiety; each M is an independently selected hydrophobic organic moiety; and R and M can be the same or different.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
45 words
The process of claim 19 wherein the surface modification composition comprises a component selected from the group consisting of acetoxytrimethylsilane, acetoxysilane, diacetoxydimethylsilane, methyltriacetoxysilane, phenyltriacetoxysilane, diphenyldiacetoxysilane, trimethylethoxysilane, trimethylmethoxysilane, 2-trimethylsiloxypent-2-ene-4-one, n-(trimethylsilyl)acetamide, 2-(trimethylsilyl)acetic acid, n-(trimethylsilyl)imidazole, trimethylsilylpropiolate, trimethylsilyl(trimethylsiloxy)-acetate, nonamethyltrisilazane, hexamethyldisilazane, hexamethyldisiloxane, trimethylsilanol, triethylsilanol, triphenylsilanol, t-butyldimethylsilanol, diphenylsilanediol and combinations thereof.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
12 words
The process of claim 19 wherein the surface modification composition comprises hexamethyldisilazane.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
12 words
The process of claim 19 wherein the surface modification composition comprises methyltriacetoxysilane.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
10 words
The coated substrate formed by the process of claim 9.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
77 words
The process of claim 1 wherein step (a) is conducted by a process which comprises i) blending at least one alkoxysilane, a solvent composition, and optional water thus forming a mixture, and causing a partial hydrolysis and partial condensation of the alkoxysilane; ii) depositing the mixture onto a substrate; iii) exposing the mixture to water vapor and a base vapor, iv) optionally evaporating the solvent composition and curing the alkoxysilane composition to a nanoporous dielectric silica coating.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
10 words
The coated substrate formed by the process of claim 25.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
63 words
A semiconductor device produced by a process which comprises: a) forming a nanoporous dielectric polymer composition on a semiconductor substrate, b) optionally contacting the polymer composition with a surface modification composition; c) optionally heating the film to evaporate solvents from the pores of the film; d) exposing the polymer composition to electron beam radiation; and e) optionally thermally annealing the exposed polymer composition.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
63 words
A semiconductor device produced by a process which comprises: a) forming a nanoporous dielectric polymer composition on a semiconductor substrate, b) optionally contacting the polymer composition with a surface modification composition; c) optionally heating the film to evaporate solvents from the pores of the film; d) exposing the polymer composition to electron beam radiation; and e) optionally thermally annealing the exposed polymer composition.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-03-28 | 2003-09-27 | 2004-03-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-03-28 | 2007-09-27 | 2008-03-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-03-28 | 2011-09-27 | 2012-03-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |