Abstract: The present invention discloses a method for forming a layer of nitrogen and silicon containing material on a substrate by first providing a heated substrate and then flowing a gas which has silicon and nitrogen atoms but no carbon atoms in the same molecule over said heated substrate at a pressure of not higher than 500 Torr, such that a layer of nitrogen and silicon containing material is formed on the surface. The present invention is further directed to a composite structure that includes a substrate and a layer of material containing nitrogen and silicon but not carbon overlying the substrate for stopping chemical species from reaching the substrate. The present invention is further directed to a structure that includes a semiconducting substrate, a gate insulator on the substrate, a nitrogen-rich layer on top of the gate insulator, and a gate electrode on the nitrogen-rich layer, wherein the nitrogen-rich layer blocks diffusion of contaminating species from the gate electrode to the gate insulator.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a thermally stable carbon-based low dielectric constant film such as a hydrogenated amorphous carbon film or a diamond-like carbon film in a parallel plate chemical vapor deposition process utilizing plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition process is disclosed. Electronic devices containing insulating layers of thermally stable carbon-based low dielectric constant materials that are prepared by the method are further disclosed. In order to render the carbon-based low dielectric constant film thermally stable, i.e., at a temperature of at least 400° C., the films are heat treated at a temperature of not less than 350° C. for at least 0.5 hour. To enable the fabrication of thermally stable carbon-based low dielectric constant film, specific precursor materials such as cyclic hydrocarbons should be used, for instance, cyclohexane or benzene.