Claims
- 1. A method of treating a low-k dielectric material surface comprising:
a. treating the low-k dielectric material surface to a supercritical silylating agent to form a passivated low-k dielectric material surface; b. removing the supercritical silylating agent following treating the low-k dielectric material surface to the supercritical silylating agent; c. treating the passivated low-k dielectric material surface to a supercritical solvent; and d. removing the supercritical solvent following treating the passivated low-k dielectric material surface to the supercritical solvent, wherein the passivated low-k dielectric material surface is at least partially passivated with the supercritical silylating agent and the supercritical solvent.
- 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the supercritical silylating agent comprises supercritical CO2 and an amount of a silylating agent comprising organic groups.
- 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the organic groups comprise 5 carbon atoms or fewer.
- 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the supercritical solvent comprises supercritical CO2 and a mixture of acids and fluorides.
- 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the acids comprise organic acids.
- 6. The method of claim 4, wherein the acids comprise inorganic acids.
- 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the supercritical silylating agent is silane having the structure (R1);(R2);(R3)SiNH(R4).
- 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the supercritical silylating agent further comprises a carrier solvent.
- 9. 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.
- 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the low-k dielectric material surface is maintained at temperatures in a range of 25 to 200 degrees Celsius.
- 11. The method of claim 1, wherein treating the low-k dielectric material surface to a supercritical silylating agent comprises circulating the supercritical silylating agent over the low-k dielectric material surface.
- 12. The method of claim 1, wherein treating the low-k dielectric material surface to a supercritical solvent comprises circulating the supercritical solvent over the low-k dielectric material surface.
- 13. The method of claim 1, wherein the supercritical silylating agent is maintained at pressures in a range of 700 to 9,000 psi.
- 14. The method of claim 1, further comprising drying the low-k dielectric material surface prior to treating the low-k dielectric material surface to a supercritical solution.
- 15. The method of claim 10, wherein drying the low-k dielectric material surface comprises treating the low-k dielectric material surface to a supercritical drying solution comprising supercritical carbon dioxide.
- 16. The method of claim 1, wherein the low-k dielectric material surface comprises silicon-oxide.
- 17. The method of claim 1, wherein the low-k dielectric material 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).
- 18. A method of treating a dielectric surface, comprising:
a. removing post etch residue from the dielectric surface with a first supercritical cleaning solution; b. treating the dielectric surface with a silylating agent to form a passivated dielectric surface, wherein the silylating agent is in a second supercritical cleaning solution; and c. treating the passivated dielectric surface with a solvent, wherein the solvent is in a third supercritical cleaning solution.
- 19. The method of claim 18, wherein the residue comprises a polymer.
- 20. The method of claim 19, wherein the polymer is a photoresist polymer.
- 21. The method of claim 20, wherein the photoresist polymer comprises an anti-reflective dye.
- 22. The method of claim 18, wherein the dielectric surface comprises silicon oxide.
- 23. The method of claim 18, wherein the dielectric surface comprises low-k dielectric material.
- 24. The method of claim 18, 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).
- 25. The method of claim 18, wherein the post etch residue comprises an anti-reflective coating.
- 26. The method of claim 18, wherein the silylating agent comprises an organosilicon compound.
- 27. The method of claim 18, wherein the solvent comprises a supercritical CO2 and a mixture of acids and fluorides.
- 28. The method of claim 25, wherein the organosilicon compound is agent is silane having the structure (R1);(R2);(R3)SiNH(R4).
- 29. A method of forming a patterned low-k dielectric material 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; d. removing a portion of the post-etch residue using a supercritical solution comprising supercritical carbon dioxide and passivating agent; and e. removing remaining post-etch residue using a supercritical solvent comprising a acid and fluoride solution.
- 30. The method of claim 28, wherein the supercritical processing solution comprises supercritical carbon dioxide.
- 31. The method of claim 28, wherein the supercritical solvent further comprising supercritical carbon dioxide.
- 32. The method of claim 24, wherein the passivating agent is silicon-based.
- 33. The method of claim 31, wherein the silicon-based passivating agent comprises an organosilicon compound.
- 34. A method of forming dielectric material layer with a reduced k-value, the method comprising:
a. patterning the layer of dielectric material to form a patterned dielectric material layer with a first k-value; b. passivating the patterned dielectric material layer with a passivating agent to form a patterned reduced low-k dielectric material layer with a second k-value; and c. treating the patterned reduced low-k dielectric material layer with a supercritical cleaning solvent.
- 35. The method of claim 33, wherein the first k-value is greater than 3.0.
- 36. The method of claim 33, wherein the second k-value is less that 3.0.
- 37. The method of claim 33, wherein first k-value and the second k-value differ by 1.0 or more.
- 38. The method of claim 33, therein the dielectric material comprises a silicon-oxide component and hydrocarbon component.
- 39. The method of claim 33, wherein the passivating agent is a silylating agent comprising organic groups.
- 40. The method of claim 33, wherein the supercritical cleaning solvent is a acid and fluoride solution.
- 41. The method of claim 33, wherein the supercritical cleaning solvent is a 0.1-15.0 v/v %.
RELATED APPLICATION(S)
[0001] This Patent Application is a continuation in part of U.S. patent application, Ser. No. 10/379,984 mailed on Mar. 4, 2003, and entitled “METHOD OF PASSIVATING OF LOW DIELECTRIC MATERIALS IN WAFER PROCESSING”. This Patent Application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) of the U.S. Provisional Patent Application, Serial No. 60/372,822 filed Apr. 12, 2002, and entitled “METHOD OF TREATMENT OF POROUS DIELECTRIC FILMS TO REDUCE DAMAGE DURING CLEANING”. The Provisional Patent Application, Serial No. 60/372,822 filed Apr. 12, 2002, and entitled METHOD OF TREATMENT OF POROUS DIELECTRIC FILMS TO REDUCE DAMAGE DURING CLEANING”, and the U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/379,984, mailed on Mar. 4, 2003, and entitled “METHOD OF PASSIVATING OF LOW DIELECTRIC MATERIALS IN WAFER PROCESSING” are also hereby incorporated by reference.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60372822 |
Apr 2002 |
US |
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
10379984 |
Mar 2003 |
US |
Child |
10412121 |
Apr 2003 |
US |