| AVS 63rd International Symposium & Exhibition | |
| Thin Film | Wednesday Sessions |
| Session TF+EM+MI-WeA |
| Session: | Thin Films for Microelectronics |
| Presenter: | Huifeng Zheng, University of Wisconsin-Madison |
| Authors: | H. Zheng, University of Wisconsin-Madison X. Guo, University of Wisconsin-Madison D. Pei, University of Wisconsin-Madison W. Li, University of Wisconsin-Madison J. Blatz, University of Wisconsin-Madison K. Hsu, University of Wisconsin-Madison D. Benjamin, University of Wisconsin-Madison Y. Lin, National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center, Taiwan, Republic of China H. Fung, National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center, Taiwan, Republic of China C. Chen, National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center, Taiwan, Republic of China Y. Nishi, Stanford University J.L. Shohet, University of Wisconsin-Madison |
| Correspondent: | Click to Email |
Porous SiCOH films are of great interest in semiconductor fabrication due to their low-k properties. Post-deposition treatments of SiCOH thin films are required to decompose labile pore generators (porogens) and to ensure optimum network formation to improve the electrical and mechanical properties of low-k dielectrics. The goal of this work is to optimize the vacuum-ultraviolet spectrum to identify those wavelengths that will have the most beneficial effect on improving dielectric properties and minimizing damage without the need for thermal heating of the dielectric. Vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) irradiation between 8.3-8.9 eV was found to increase the hardness and elastic modulus of low-k dielectrics at room temperature. Combined with UV exposure of 6.2 eV, it was found that this UV/VUV curing process compares favorably with current UV curing. The results also show that UV/VUV curing can overcome many of the drawbacks of UV curing and improve properties of dielectrics more efficiently without the need for high-temperature heating of the dielectric.
This work was supported by the Semiconductor Research Corporation under Contract 2012-KJ-2359