Published online by Cambridge University Press: 31 January 2011
The effect of He plasma pretreatment on interaction of O and H atoms with SiCOH low-k materials is studied using a special experimental system designed for this purpose. The experimental system allowed separate study of the effects of He plasma, VUV light and He 21S0 metastable atoms. It is shown that the carbon depletion by oxygen atoms can be significantly reduced by He plasma pretreatment. Considerable increase of CH and CH2-CH2 groups in the surface area of low-k films is observed when the films were exposed to VUV light and metastable atoms generated by He plasma. FTIR and ellipsometry showed formation of densified surface layer. This carbon rich densified surface layer decreases damage of low-k film when it is exposed in O2 plasma. The impact of H atoms on low-K surface noticeably differs from O atoms effect. The H atoms saturate all unbounded remaining carbon bonds thereby promoting improvement of SiOCH structure.