Reaction mechanisms of oxygen plasma interaction with organosilicate low-k materials containing organic crosslinking groups

Journal Article · Thu Nov 15 00:00:00 EST 2012 · Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology. A, Vacuum, Surfaces and Films

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1116/1.4755898· OSTI ID:22099105

Chaudhari, Mrunalkumar; Jincheng, Du ^[1]

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1. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of North Texas, Denton, Texas 76210 (United States)

Integration of low dielectric constant (k) materials such as organosilicate glasses (OSG) into microelectronic processing demands a better of understanding the plasma/OSG interactions during plasma etching and ashing of these materials, based on which low-k materials with higher radiation resistance and better mechanical behaviors can be developed and optimized plasma processing conditions can be introduced to ensure continued miniaturization of semiconductor devices. Introducing organic crosslinking (e.g., -CH{sub 2}-) in OSG has been shown to be an effective measure to improve the mechanical properties but their effect on plasma interaction is still not fully understood. In this paper, ab initio based molecular dynamics simulations have been employed to investigate the effect of the oxygen plasma on the carbon-bridged silicate networks in the OSG material. The results show that organic crosslinking in the Si-O-Si network leads to lower energy reaction pathways with atomic oxygen radicals that result in breakage of Si-CH{sub 2}-Si linkages instead of Si-CH{sub 3} bonds and, consequently, a decrease in carbon removal. The incorporation of organic crosslinking groups can thus improve the resistance to oxygen plasma damage of OSG and, together with better mechanical properties, can lead to the design of stronger low-k dielectric films.

• OSTI ID: 22099105
• Journal Information: Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology. A, Vacuum, Surfaces and Films, Vol. 30, Issue 6; Other Information: (c) 2012 American Vacuum Society; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0734-2101
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
37 INORGANIC
ORGANIC
PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
CARBON
CHEMICAL BONDS
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
CROSS-LINKING
DIELECTRIC MATERIALS
ETCHING
GLASS
INTERACTIONS
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
MINIATURIZATION
MOLECULAR DYNAMICS METHOD
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN
PERMITTIVITY
PLASMA
REACTION KINETICS
SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
SILICATES
THIN FILMS