Impact of material/process interactions on the properties of a porous CVD-O 3 low-k dielectric film

Abstract

The impact of material/process interactions on low temperature CVD-O 3 low-k dielectric film properties are presented. The film under investigation is deposited following a three-step process consisting of a low temperature chemical vapor deposition (CVD), an ex situ high temperature cure in a controlled ambient and a plasma treatment to seal the porous surface of the dielectric. In this paper, the extent to which the air break exposure, the cure, the nature of the plasma and the substrate can affect the material properties is investigated. The influence of the resist stripping plasmas on the material sealing and the mechanical properties during integration is also discussed. Finally, the dielectric k-value as extracted from damascene structures using Raphael™ simulations is presented and discussed.