Published online by Cambridge University Press: 17 March 2011
Increasing the elastic modulus and hardness of low K films is one of the keychallenges towards integration of these materials into future integratedcircuits. Several approaches are explored for increasing the hardness ofcarbon doped oxide (CDO) dielectrics. Several low K precursors and theirmixtures specifically chosen to enhance the hardness (H) and modulus (E) ofCDO films through chemically induced cross-linking. Composition and FTIRmeasurements suggest the presence of C-C and C-Si cross-linking withconcurrent observation of improved film hardness and modulus at relativelylow deposition temperatures. Films deposited at 373°C usingdiethoxy-methyl-oxiranyl have a hardness and modulus of 2.5 GPa and 18.1 GParespectively. Films deposited at 180°C using tetramethylcyclotetrasiloxane(TMCTS) and 25% hardener have hardness and modulus of 1.5 GPa and 9.4 GPa,respectively. These film properties are significantly higher than thoseobserved for TMCTS alone under similar deposition conditions. Based on theseresults a low temperature process with 25% hardener and 75% TMCTS combinedwith a porogen was used to produce a porous film with a k<2.5 and ahardness of 0.72GPa.