IUVSTA 15th International Vacuum Congress (IVC-15), AVS 48th International Symposium (AVS-48), 11th International Conference on Solid Surfaces (ICSS-11)
    Dielectrics Monday Sessions
       Session DI2-MoP

Paper DI2-MoP3
Plasma-Reacting Behaviour of Spin-on Hybrid Organic Siloxane Polymer (HOSP) Low-Dielectric-Constant Thin Films

Monday, October 29, 2001, 5:30 pm, Room 134/135

Session: Low K Dielectrics Poster Session
Presenter: S.-T. Chen, Feng Chia University, Taiwan
Authors: S.-T. Chen, Feng Chia University, Taiwan
G.-S. Chen, Feng Chia University, Taiwan
T.-C. Chang, National Sun Yat-Sen University, Taiwan
C.-P. Liu, National Cheng Kung University, Taiwan
Correspondent: Click to Email
This work employs Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy, along with atomic force and transmission electron microscopies to examine microstructure and bonding stabilities of spin-on hybrid organic siloxane polymer (HOSP) low-dielectric-constant (k) thin films after they are exposed to oxygen ashing and (or) various passivating plasma treatments. The spectroscopic and microscopic analyses reveal that, upon exposure to the oxygen plasma, the Si-CH@sub 3@ and Si-C bonds inherent in the thin HOSP (k = 2.5) film are disrupted substantially and, subsequently replaced by highly polarized Si-O, Si-H and (or) Si-OH bonds. These replacements thus degrade the HOSP dielectric film by increasing the magnitude of k significantly. Preliminary results indicate that the HOSP film can be strengthened by passivating it in an adequate plasma. Doing so allows the HOSP to be treated by oxygen-plasma ashing while still maintaining a fairly stable bonding and dielectric properties. Finally, the capability of several ultra-thin (<= 5 nm) capping layers in retarding copper diffusion into the HOSP dielectric layer will be evaluated by measuring C-V and I-V curves of Si/HOSP/capping layers/Cu capacitor samples under conditions of biased thermal stress of 2-4 MV/cm and 150-250 °C.