Patent US6756085B2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6756085B2
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Ultraviolet curing processes for advanced low-k materials
Assignee: Axcelis Technologies Inc
•
Filing: 2003-07-21
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Granted: 2004-06-29
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Expires: 2023-07-21
Abstract
Abstract Low dielectric constant materials with improved elastic modulus and material hardness. The process of making such materials involves providing a dielectric material and ultraviolet (UV) curing the material to produce a UV cured dielectric material. UV curing yields a material with improved modulus and material hardness. The improvement is each typically greater than or about 50%. The UV cured dielectric material can optionally be post-UV treated. The post-UV treatment reduces the dielectric constant of the material while maintaining an improved elastic modulus and material hardness as compared to the UV cured dielectric material. UV cured dielectrics can additionally exhibit a lower total thermal budget for curing than for furnace curing processes.
Inventors
- 👤 Carlo Waldfried
- 👤 Qingyuan Han
- 👤 Orlando Escorcia
- 👤 Ivan L. Berry, III
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 12:09
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P95/00; H10P95/90; C; C09; C09D; C09D183/00; C09D183/02; C09D183/04; C23; C23C; C23C16/00; C23C16/56; H10P14/00; H10P14/60; H10P14/65; H10P14/6516; H10P14/6529; H10P14/6532; H10P14/6536; H10P14/6538; H10P14/66; H10P14/665; H10P14/668; H10P14/6681; H10P14/6684; H10P14/6686; H10P14/69; H10P14/692; H10P14/6921; H10P14/6922
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 60
Claim 1
Independent Claim
84 words
A process for making a UV cured material comprising: providing a dielectric material having a first dielectric constant, having a first elastic modulus, and having a first material hardness; and UV curing the dielectric material to produce a UV cured dielectric material having a second dielectric constant which is within about ±20% of the first dielectric constant, having a second elastic modulus which is greater than the first elastic modulus, and having a second material hardness which is greater than the first material hardness.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
84 words
A process for making a UV cured material comprising: providing a dielectric material having a first dielectric constant, having a first elastic modulus, and having a first material hardness; and UV curing the dielectric material to produce a UV cured dielectric material having a second dielectric constant which is within about ±20% of the first dielectric constant, having a second elastic modulus which is greater than the first elastic modulus, and having a second material hardness which is greater than the first material hardness.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the dielectric material is selected from an organic material, an inorganic material, or a combination thereof.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
56 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the dielectric material is selected from a hydrogen silsesquioxane (HSQ) dielectric material, a methylsilsesquioxane (MSQ) dielectric material, a carbon doped oxide (CDO) dielectric material, a hydrogenated silicon oxy-carbide (SiCOH) dielectric material, a benzocyclobutene (BCB) dielectric material, an arylcyclobutene based dielectric material, a polyphenylene based dielectric material, or a combination thereof.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
48 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the dielectric material is produced by depositing a dielectric coating on a substrate using a spin-on process, a chemical vapor deposition process, a plasma assisted chemical vapor deposition process, an evaporation process, a reactive evaporation process or a self assembled deposition process.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
36 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the dielectric material is selected from a dense dielectric material, a porogen-generated porous dielectric material, a solvent-formed porous dielectric material, or a molecular engineered porous dielectric material, or combinations thereof.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the dielectric material is UV cured for no more than or about 300 seconds.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the dielectric material is UV cured for between about 60 and about 180 seconds.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the dielectric material has a wafer temperature that is greater than or about 80° C. during UV curing.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the dielectric material has a wafer temperature that is between about room temperature and about 450° C. during UV curing.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
26 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the dielectric material is UV cured at a process pressure that is less than or about equal to atmospheric pressure.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
26 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the dielectric material is UV cured at a process pressure that is greater than or about equal to atmospheric pressure.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
25 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the dielectric material is UV cured at a UV power between about 0.1 and about 2000 mW/cm 2 .
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
90 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the dielectric material is UV cured with a process gas purge, wherein the purge gas is selected from N 2 , O z , Ar, He, H 2 , H 2 O vapor, CO z , C x H y , C x F y , C x H z F y , air, and combinations thereof, and wherein x is an integer between 1 and 6, y is an integer between 4 and 14, and z is an integer between 1 and 3.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
25 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the dielectric material is UV cured using a UV wavelength spectrum between about 100 nm and about 400 nm.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
37 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the increase in elastic modulus between the first elastic modulus of the dielectric material and the second elastic modulus of the UV cured dielectric material is greater than or about 50%.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
23 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the second elastic modulus of the UV cured dielectric material is greater than or about 2.5 GPa.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
25 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the second elastic modulus of the UV cured dielectric material is between about 4 GPa and about 12 GPa.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
37 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the increase in material hardness between the first material hardness of the dielectric material and the second material hardness of the UV cured dielectric material is greater than or about 50%.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
23 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the second material hardness of the UV cured dielectric material is greater than or about 0.25 GPa.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
24 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the second material hardness of the UV cured dielectric material is between about 0.25 and about 1.2 GPa.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
73 words
The process of claim 1 further comprising post-UV treating the UV cured dielectric material to provide a post-UV treated, UV cured dielectric material having a third dielectric constant which is less than the second dielectric constant, having a third elastic modulus which is greater than or within about ±20% of the second elastic modulus, and having a third material hardness which is greater than or within about ±20% of the second material hardness.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
25 words
The process of claim 21 wherein the third dielectric constant of the post-UV treated, UV cured dielectric material is between about 1.1 and about 3.5.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
25 words
The process of claim 21 wherein the third dielectric constant of the post-UV treated, UV cured dielectric material is between about 1.6 and about 2.4.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
12 words
The process of claim 21 wherein the post-UV treating is thermal annealing.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
22 words
The process of claim 24 wherein the UV cured dielectric material is annealed at a temperature less than or about 450° C.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
23 words
The process of claim 24 wherein the UV cured dielectric material is annealed at a temperature between about 150 and about 450° C.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
21 words
The process of claim 24 wherein the UV cured dielectric material is annealed for no more than or about 60 minutes.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
26 words
The process of claim 21 wherein the post-UV treating is plasma treating by exposing the UV cured dielectric material to a plasma condition at elevated temperatures.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
25 words
The process of claim 28 wherein the UV cured dielectric material is plasma treated at a plasma power between about 500 and about 3000 W.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
24 words
The process of claim 28 wherein the UV cured dielectric material is plasma treated at a temperature between about 100 and about 450° C.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
22 words
The process of claim 28 wherein the UV cured dielectric material is plasma treated for no more than or about 90 seconds.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
26 words
The process of claim 28 wherein the UV cured dielectric material is plasma treated at a process pressure between about 1 Torr and about 10 Torr.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
65 words
The process of claim 28 wherein the UV cured dielectric material is plasma treated with a plasma gas, wherein the plasma gas is selected from N 2 , O 2 , Ar, He, H 2 , C x H y , fluorine-containing gas, or combinations thereof, and wherein x is an integer between 1 and 6, and y is an integer between 1 and 14.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
23 words
The process of claim 21 wherein the post-UV treating is UV treating by exposing the UV cured dielectric material to a UV condition.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
22 words
The process of claim 34 wherein the UV cured dielectric material is UV treated for no more than or about 300 seconds.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
22 words
The process of claim 34 wherein the UV cured dielectric material is UV treated for between about 60 and about 180 seconds.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
25 words
The process of claim 34 wherein the UV cured dielectric material is UV treated at a temperature between about room temperature and about 450° C.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
28 words
The process of claim 34 wherein the UV cured dielectric material is UV treated at a process pressure that is less than or about equal to atmospheric pressure.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
28 words
The process of claim 34 wherein the UV cured dielectric material is UV treated at a process pressure that is greater than or about equal to atmospheric pressure.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
27 words
The process of claim 34 wherein the UV cured dielectric material is UV treated at a UV power between about 0.1 and about 2000 mW/cm 2 .
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
92 words
The process of claim 34 wherein the UV cured dielectric material is UV treated with a process gas purge, wherein the purge gas is selected from N 2 , O z , Ar, He, H 2 , H 2 O vapor, CO z , C x H y , C x F y , C x H z F y , air, and combinations thereof, and wherein x is an integer between 1 and 6, y is an integer between 4 and 14, and z is an integer between 1 and 3.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
27 words
The process of claim 34 wherein the UV cured dielectric material is UV treated using a UV wavelength spectrum between about 100 nm and about 400 nm.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
24 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the UV curing occurs at vacuum conditions or at conditions without the presence of oxygen or oxidizing gases.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
68 words
The process of claim 1 further comprising: placing the dielectric material into a process chamber; evacuating or purging the process chamber to remove room air; supplying a process gas to the process chamber; heating the dielectric material to a process temperature of about 450° C. or less; and exposing the dielectric material to UV radiation with wavelengths in the region of between about 100 and about 400 nm.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
41 words
The process of claim 44 wherein the UV radiation is provided by a UV light source selected from a microwave driven light source, an arc discharge light source, a dielectric barrier discharge light source, or an electron impact generated light source.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
33 words
The process of claim 44 wherein the dielectric material is heated by a heat source selected from an infrared light source, an optical light source, a hot surface, or a UV light source.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
73 words
A process for making a UV cured material comprising: providing an uncured advanced low-k dielectric material; and UV curing the dielectric material at a time of no greater than about 5 minutes, or at a temperature of no greater than about 450° C. to produce a UV cured dielectric material, wherein the total thermal budget of the UV curing is reduced by greater than about 50% as compared to a furnace curing process.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
73 words
A process for making a UV cured material comprising: providing an uncured advanced low-k dielectric material; and UV curing the dielectric material at a time of no greater than about 5 minutes, or at a temperature of no greater than about 450° C. to produce a UV cured dielectric material, wherein the total thermal budget of the UV curing is reduced by greater than about 50% as compared to a furnace curing process.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
25 words
The process of claim 47 wherein the dielectric material is UV cured using a UV wavelength spectrum between about 100 nm and about 400 nm.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
90 words
The process of claim 47 wherein the dielectric material is UV cured with a process gas purge, wherein the purge gas is selected from N 2 , O z , Ar, He, H 2 , H 2 O vapor, CO z , C x H y , C x F y , C x H z F y , air, and combinations thereof, and wherein x is an integer between 1 and 6, y is an integer between 4 and 14, and z is an integer between 1 and 3.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
25 words
The process of claim 47 wherein the dielectric material is UV cured at a UV power between about 0.1 and about 2000 mW/cm 2 .
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
26 words
The process of claim 47 wherein the dielectric material is UV cured at a process pressure that is greater than or about equal to atmospheric pressure.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
26 words
The process of claim 47 wherein the dielectric material is UV cured at a process pressure that is less than or about equal to atmospheric pressure.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
26 words
The process of claim 47 wherein the dielectric material has a wafer temperature that is between about room temperature and about 450° C. during UV curing.
Claim 56
Dependent Claim
20 words
The process of claim 47 wherein the dielectric material is UV cured for between about 60 and about 180 seconds.
Claim 57
Dependent Claim
36 words
The process of claim 47 wherein the dielectric material is selected from a dense dielectric material, a porogen-generated porous dielectric material, a solvent-formed porous dielectric material, or a molecular engineered porous dielectric material, or combinations thereof.
Claim 58
Dependent Claim
22 words
The process of claim 47 wherein the dielectric material is selected from an organic material, an inorganic material, or a combination thereof.
Claim 59
Dependent Claim
56 words
The process of claim 47 wherein the dielectric material is selected from a hydrogen silsesquioxane (HSQ) dielectric material, a methylsilsesquioxane (MSQ) dielectric material, a carbon doped oxide (CDO) dielectric material, a hydrogenated silicon oxy-carbide (SiCOH) dielectric material, a benzocyclobutene (BCB) dielectric material, an arylcyclobutene based dielectric material, a polyphenylene based dielectric material, or a combination thereof.
Claim 60
Dependent Claim
48 words
The process of claim 47 wherein the dielectric material is produced by depositing a dielectric coating on a substrate using a spin-on process, a chemical vapor deposition process, a plasma assisted chemical vapor deposition process, an evaporation process, a reactive evaporation process or a self assembled deposition process.
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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) | 2007-06-29 | 2007-12-29 | 2008-06-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2011-06-29 | 2011-12-29 | 2012-06-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2015-06-29 | 2015-12-29 | 2016-06-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |