The nature of the defects generated from plasma exposure in pristine and ultraviolet-cured low-k organosilicate glass

He, Rong; Jiang, Gengwei; Antonelli, G. A.; Nishi, Yoshio; Shohet, J. L.

doi:10.1063/1.3601922

Cited by 13 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…To complicate matters, further ESR studies have shown that additional defects can be created in low-k materials by downstream porogen removal and plasma etching processes that expose the low-k material to intense UV-VUV radiation, energetic ions, and chemically active radicals and neutrals. [123][124][125][126][127] These process-induced defects may not be present or dominant in the as-deposited material. Accordingly, understanding the exact nature of the electrical point defects in low-k materials fully integrated into actual metal interconnect structures is quite complicated and difficult to unravel.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Detection of surface electronic defect states in low and high-k dielectrics using reflection electron energy loss spectroscopy

French

King

2013

J. Mater. Res.

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The continuation of Moore's law requires new materials at both extremes of the dielectric permittivity spectrum and an increased understanding of the fundamental mechanisms limiting their electrical reliability. To address the latter, reflection electron energy loss spectroscopy has been utilized to measure the band gap of various oxide-based low and high dielectric constant (k) materials of interest to the semiconductor industry. In situ Ar 1 sputtering has been additionally utilized to simulate process-induced defect states that are believed to contribute to electrical leakage, time-dependent dielectric breakdown, charge trapping, and other fixed-charge reliability issues in nano-electronic devices. It is observed that Ar 1 sputtering predominantly generates surface oxygen vacancy defects in the upper portion of the band gap for both low and high-k dielectric materials. These results are in agreement with numerous theoretical investigations of defects in low and high-k dielectric materials and models for mechanisms that limit their reliability.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Detection of surface electronic defect states in low and high-k dielectrics using reflection electron energy loss spectroscopy

French

King

2013

J. Mater. Res.

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“…1,7 For low-k materials, it has been additionally shown that electrical traps and defects can be created by downstream porogen removal and plasma etching processes that expose the low-k material to intense UV-VUV radiation, energetic ions, and chemically active radicals. [17][18][19][20][21][22][23] Further studies have shown a direct correlation between trap/defect densities, leakage currents and TDDB failures. 18,24 Unfortunately, the current understanding of the chemical identity, structure, and energy level of electrical traps and defects in low-k materials is still limited.…”

mentioning

confidence: 97%

Detection of defect states in low-k dielectrics using reflection electron energy loss spectroscopy

King

French

Mays

2013

Journal of Applied Physics

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A reverse Monte Carlo method for deriving optical constants of solids from reflection electron energy-loss spectroscopy spectra Reflection electron energy loss spectroscopy (REELS) has been utilized to measure the band gap (E g ) and energy position of sub-gap defect states for both non-porous and porous low dielectric constant (low-k) materials. We find the surface band gap for non-porous k ¼ 2.8-3.3 a-SiOC:H dielectrics to be ffi 8.2 eV and consistent with that measured for a-SiO 2 (E g ¼ 8.8 eV). Ar þ sputtering of the non-porous low-k materials was found to create sub-gap defect states at % 5.0 and 7.2 eV within the band gap. Based on comparisons to observations of similar defect states in crystalline and amorphous SiO 2 , we attribute these sub-gap defect states to surface oxygen vacancy centers. REELS measurements on a porous low-k a-SiOC:H dielectric with k ¼ 2.3 showed a slightly smaller band gap (E g ¼ 7.8 eV) and a broad distribution of defects states ranging from 2 to 6 eV. These defect states are attributed to a combination of both oxygen vacancy defects created by the UV curing process and carbon residues left in the film by incomplete removal of the sacrificial porogen. Plasma etching and ashing of the porous low-k dielectric were observed to remove the broad defect states attributed to carbon residues, but the oxygen vacancy defects remained.

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“…Nitrogen-plasma exposure as well as free-radical exposure has only a small influence on the bond breaking. Ultraviolet curing can improve the chemical-damage resistance of the dielectric [26].…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Repairing oxygen plasma-damaged on low dielectric constant MSQ (methylsilsesquioxane) films with anneal

2012

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Low dielectric MSQ (methylsilsesquioxane) films are obtained by spin-coating deposition on the p-Si (100) wafer. MSQ could be synthesized by one-step processing. Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR) was used to identify the network structure and cage structure of Si-O-Si bonds. C-V characteristic was used to calculate the dielectric constant. I-V characteristic was used to determine the leakage current density and the breakdown electric field. The results indicate that oxygen plasma exposure damaged the MSQ films by removing the carbon content on the surface of the films. Oxygen plasma exposure on MSQ films form the Si-OH bonds which induce to the increase of the hydrophilicity. The increase of the hydrophilicity on the surface of MSQ films increases the dielectric constant and leakage current density of MSQ films. Both the dielectric constants and leakage current density of MSQ films decreased with anneal at 350°C for 1.5 h in nitrogen ambient.

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The nature of the defects generated from plasma exposure in pristine and ultraviolet-cured low-k organosilicate glass

Abstract: Articles you may be interested inEffects of plasma and vacuum-ultraviolet exposure on the mechanical properties of low-k porous organosilicate glass

Cited by 13 publications

References 15 publications

Detection of surface electronic defect states in low and high-k dielectrics using reflection electron energy loss spectroscopy

Detection of surface electronic defect states in low and high-k dielectrics using reflection electron energy loss spectroscopy

Detection of defect states in low-k dielectrics using reflection electron energy loss spectroscopy

Repairing oxygen plasma-damaged on low dielectric constant MSQ (methylsilsesquioxane) films with anneal

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