Claims
- 1. A method of treating a low-k surface comprising:
a treating the low-k surface to a supercritical passivating solution comprising supercritical CO2 and an amount of a silylating agent comprising organic groups; and b. removing the supercritical solution, wherein the low-k surface is at least partially passivated with the organic groups.
- 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the organic groups comprise alky groups.
- 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the organic groups comprise 5 carbon atoms or fewer.
- 4 The method of claim 1, wherein the organosilicon compound is selected from the group consisting of hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS), chlorotrimethylsilane (TMCS) and trichloromethylsilane (TCMS).
- 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the supercritical passivating solution further comprises a carrier solvent.
- 6. The method of claim 5, wherein the carrier solvent is selected from the group consisting of N, N-dimethylacetamide (DMAC), gamma-butyrolacetone (BLO), dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), ethylene carbonate (EC), N-methylpyrrolidone (NMP), dimethylpiperidone, propylene carbonate and alcohol.
- 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the low-k surface is maintained at temperatures in a range of 40 to 200 degrees Celsius.
- 8. The method of claim 1, wherein treating the low-k surface to a supercritical passivating solution comprises circulating the supercritical passivating solution over the low-k surface.
- 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the supercritical passivating solution is maintained at pressures in a range of 1,000 to 9,000 psi.
- 10. The method of claim 1, further comprising drying the low-k surface prior to treating the low-k surface to a supercritical solution.
- 11. The method of claim 10, wherein drying the low-k surface comprises treating the low-k surface to a supercritical drying solution comprising supercritical carbon dioxide.
- 12. The method of claim 1, wherein the low-k surface comprises silicon-oxide.
- 13. The method of claim 1, wherein the low-k surface comprises a material selected from the group consisting of a carbon doped oxide (COD), a spin-on-glass (SOG) and fluoridated silicon glass (FSG).
- 14. A method of treating a dielectric surface, comprising:
a) removing post etch residue from the dielectric surface with a supercritical cleaning solution; and b) treating the dielectric surface with a passivating agent in the supercritical cleaning solution to form a passivated dielectric surface.
- 15. The method of claim 14, wherein the residue comprises a polymer.
- 16. The method of claim 15, wherein the polymer is a photoresist polymer.
- 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the photoresist polymer comprises an anti-reflective dye.
- 18. The method of claim 14, wherein the dielectric surface comprises silicon oxide.
- 19. The method of claim 14, wherein the dielectric surface comprises a material selected from the group consisting of a carbon doped oxide (COD), a spin-on-glass (SOG) and fluoridated silicon glass (FSG).
- 20. The method of claim 14, wherein the post etch residue comprises an antireflective coating.
- 21. The method of claim 20, wherein the anti-reflective coating comprises an organic spin-on anti-reflective material.
- 22. The method of claim 14, wherein the passivating agent comprises an organosilicon compound.
- 23. The method of claim 22, wherein the organosilicon compound is selected from the group consisting of hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS) and chlorotrimethylsilane (TMCS) and trichloromethylsilane (TCMS)
- 24. A method of forming a patterned low-k dielectric layer, the method comprising;
a. depositing a continuous layer of low-k dielectric material; b. forming a photoresist mask over the continuous layer of low-k dielectric material; c. patterning the continuous layer of low-k dielectric material through the photoresist mask, thereby forming a post-etch residue; and d. removing the post-etch residue using a supercritical solution comprising supercritical carbon dioxide and a silicon-based passivating agent.
- 25. The method of claim 24, wherein the supercritical processing solution comprises supercritical carbon dioxide.
- 26. The method of claim 24, wherein the silicon-based passivating agent comprises an organosilicon compound.
- 27. A method of forming dielectric layer with a reduced k-value, the method comprising
a. patterning the layer of dielectric material to form a patterned dielectric layer with a k-value; and d. passivating the patterned dielectric layer with a k-value with passivating agent to form the patterned low-k dielectric layer with the reduced k-value.
- 28. The method of claim 27, wherein the k-value is greater than 3.0.
- 29. The method of claim 28, wherein the reduced k-value is less that 3.0
- 30. The method of claim 29, wherein k-value and the reduced k-value differ by 1.0 or more.
- 31. The method of claim 27, therein the dielectric material comprises a silicon-oxide component and hydrocarbon component.
- 32. The method of claim 31, wherein the passivating agent is a silylating agent comprising organic groups.
RELATED APPLICATION(S)
[0001] This Patent Application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (e) of the co-pending U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/361,917 filed Mar. 4, 2002, and entitled “METHODS OF PASSIVATING POROUS LOW-K DIELECTRIC FILM” and the co-pending U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/369,052 filed Mar. 29, 2002, and entitled “USE OF SUPERCRITICAL CO2 PROCESSING FOR INTEGRATION AND FORMATION OF ULK DIELECTRICS”. The Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/361,917 filed Mar. 4, 2002, and entitled “METHODS OF PASSIVATING POROUS LOW-K DIELECTRIC FILM” and the Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/369,052 filed Mar. 29, 2002, and entitled “USE OF SUPERCRITICAL CO2 PROCESSING FOR INTEGRATION AND FORMATION OF ULK DIELECTRICS” are also both hereby incorporated by reference.
Provisional Applications (2)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60361917 |
Mar 2002 |
US |
|
60369052 |
Mar 2002 |
US |