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Extent of plasma damage to porous organosilicate films characterized with nanoindentation, x-ray reflectivity, and surface acoustic waves

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 March 2011

F. Iacopi ,
Y. Travaly ,
M. Van Hove ,
A.M. Jonas ,
J.M. Molina-Aldareguia ,
M.R. Elizalde  and
I. Ocaña
F. Iacopi*
Affiliation:
IMEC, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium
Y. Travaly
Affiliation:
IMEC, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium
M. Van Hove
Affiliation:
IMEC, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium
A.M. Jonas
Affiliation:
Unité de Physique et de Chimie des Hauts Polymères, Université Catholique de Louvain, Belgium
J.M. Molina-Aldareguia
Affiliation:
CEIT and TECNUN (University of Navarra), 20018 San Sebastián, Spain
M.R. Elizalde
Affiliation:
CEIT and TECNUN (University of Navarra), 20018 San Sebastián, Spain
I. Ocaña
Affiliation:
CEIT and TECNUN (University of Navarra), 20018 San Sebastián, Spain
*
a) Address all correspondence to this author. e-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

It is known that porous organosilicate glass (OSG) dielectrics tend to lose functional groups and become denser upon the chemical and physical action of the plasmas, but an accurate analysis and estimation of the depth and degree of film densification is not straightforward. In this study, we show that the combination of techniques like x-ray reflectivity, surface acoustic waves, and nanoindentation in depth-sensing and modulus mapping mode allow a complete and self-consistent physical analysis of the damage induced by the direct exposure of porous OSG films to different plasma ambients in reactive ion etching mode. We demonstrate for the chosen dielectric that the characteristics of the damage regions such as density and elastic modulus are very similar regardless of the reducing or oxidizing nature of the plasma. Nevertheless, the physical depth of the damage region shows large variation. Capabilities and limitations of each of the chosen analysis techniques are also discussed.

Keywords

Elastic propertiesFilmMicroelectronics
Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Materials Research , Volume 21 , Issue 12 , December 2006 , pp. 3161 - 3167
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2006

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References

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