Abstract: A method for drying and removing contaminants from a low-k dielectric film of an integrated circuit wafer, the method comprising exposing the low k dielectric layer to photons; and simultaneously with, prior to, or subsequent to the photon exposure, exposing the substrate to a process effective to remove the contaminants without causing degradation of the low k dielectric layer, wherein the process is selected from the group consisting of a heat process, a vacuum process, an oxygen free plasma process, and combinations thereof.

Abstract: Low dielectric constant porous materials with improved elastic modulus. The process of making such porous materials involves providing a porous dielectric material and ultraviolet (UV) curing of the porous dielectric material to produce a UV cured porous dielectric material. UV curing of the porous dielectric material yields a material with improved modulus and comparable dielectric constant. The improvement in elastic modulus is typically greater than about 50%. The porous dielectric material is UV cured for no more than about 300 seconds at a temperature less than about 450° C. The UV cured porous dielectric material can optionally be post-UV treated. Rapid Anneal Processing (RAP) of the UV cured porous dielectric material reduces the dielectric constant of the material while maintaining an improved elastic modulus as compared to the UV cured porous dielectric material. The annealing temperature is typically less than about 450° C., and the annealing time is typically less than about 60 minutes.