Abstract: A process for treating silica dielectric film on a substrate, which includes reacting a suitable hydrophilic silica film with an effective amount of a multifunctional surface modification agent. The film is present on a substrate and optionally has a pore structure with hydrophilic pore surfaces, and the reaction is conducted for a period of time sufficient for said surface modification agent to penetrate said pore structure and produce a treated silica film having a dielectric constant of about 3 or less, wherein the surface modification agent is hydrophobic and suitable for silylating or capping silanol moieties on such hydrophilic surfaces. Dielectric films and integrated circuits including such films are also disclosed.

Abstract: This invention has enabled a new, simple thin film nanoporous dielectric fabrication method. In general, this invention uses glycerol, or another low volatility compound, as a solvent. This new method allows thin film aerogels/low density xerogels to be made without supercritical drying, freeze drying, or a surface modification step before drying. Prior art aerogels have required at least one of these steps to prevent substantial pore collapse during drying. Thus, this invention allows production of nanoporous dielectrics at room temperature and atmospheric pressure, without a separate surface modification step. In general, this new method is compatible with most prior art aerogel techniques. Although this new method allows fabrication of aerogels without substantial pore collapse during drying, there may be some permanent shrinkage during aging and/or drying. This invention allows controlled porosity thin film nanoporous aerogels to be deposited, gelled, aged, and dried without atmospheric controls.

Abstract: Novel sorption cooling devices capable of providing cooling over an extended period of time are disclosed. The sorption cooling devices are particularly useful for temperature-controlled shipping containers that are required to maintain a temperature below ambient for a time sufficient to complete delivery of the container and its contents. The shipping containers can be utilized to cost-effectively transport temperature-sensitive products.

Abstract: Novel sorption cooling devices capable of providing cooling over an extended period of time are disclosed. The sorption cooling devices are particularly useful for temperature-controlled shipping containers that are required to maintain a temperature below ambient for a time sufficient to complete delivery of the container and its contents. The shipping containers can be utilized to cost-effectively transport temperature-sensitive products.

Abstract: A sorption cooling device capable of providing cooling over an extended period of time. The sorption cooling device is particularly useful in a temperature-controlled shipping container that is required to maintain a temperature below ambient for an extended period of time. In one embodiment, the cooling device includes a means for restricting the flow of refrigerant liquid to control the degree of cooling over an extended period of time.

Abstract: The present invention relates to nanoporous dielectric films and to a process for their manufacture. Such films are useful in the production of integrated circuits. A precursor of an alkoxysilane, and low and high volatility solvents are mixed at a pH of about 2-5, raised to a pH of about 8 or above with a low volatility base and deposited on a semiconductor substrate. After exposure to atmospheric moisture, a nanoporous dielectric film is produced on the substrate.

Abstract: A nanoporous dielectric film useful for the production of semiconductor devices, integrated circuits and the like, is provided, together with processes for producing these improved films. The films are produced by a process that includes (a) preparing a silicon-based, precursor composition including a porogen, (b) coating a substrate with the silicon-based precursor to form a film, (c) aging or condensing the film in the presence of water, (d) heating the gelled film at a temperature and for a duration effective to remove substantially all of said porogen, and wherein the applied precursor composition is substantially aged or condensed in the presence of water in liquid or vapor form, without the application of external heat or exposure to external catalyst.

Abstract: The present invention relates to low dielectric constant nanoporous silica films and to processes for their manufacture. A substrate, e.g., a wafer suitable for the production of an integrated circuit, having a plurality of raised lines and/or electronic elements present on its surface, is provided with a relatively high porosity, low dielectric constant, silicon-containing polymer film composition.

Abstract: A process for forming a nanoporous silica dielectric coating on a substrate. A substrate containing a deposited film is suspended within a sealable hotplate, while remaining free of contact with the hotplate. The hotplate is sealed and an inert gas is flowed across the substrate. The hotplate is heated to a temperature of from about 350° C. or higher, and the substrate is forced to contact the heated hotplate. The substrate is heated for a time that sufficiently removes outgassing remnants from the resultant nanoporous dielectric coating.

Abstract: The present invention relates to nanoporous dielectric films and to a process for their manufacture. A substrate having a plurality of raised lines on its surface is provided with a relatively high porosity, low dielectric constant, silicon containing polymer composition positioned between the raised lines and a relatively low porosity, high dielectric constant, silicon containing composition positioned on the lines.

Abstract: The present invention relates to low dielectric constant nanoporous silica films and to processes for their manufacture. A substrate, e.g., a wafer suitable for the production of an integrated circuit, having a plurality of raised lines and/or electronic elements present on its surface, is provided with a relatively high porosity, low dielectric constant, silicon-containing polymer film composition.

Abstract: A continuous process for the conversion of sodium silicate to silicic acid, wherein a moving bed of a protonated ion exchange resin is contacted with an inlet stream of sodium silicate to provide an outlet stream of silicic acid. The outlet stream of silicic acid produced thereby can be processed into a variety of silica products. The outlet moving bed of spent sodium-enriched ion-exchange resin is continuously regenerated into protonated ion-exchange resin by contacting the spent resin with an inlet stream of acid of sufficient strength to exchange the sodium ions in the spent resin with a proton. The regenerated protonated ion-exchange resin is continuously recycled back into the sodium silicate stream for further production of silicic acid.

Abstract: This invention pertains generally to precursors and deposition methods suited to aerogel thin film fabrication. An aerogel precursor sol which contains an oligomerized metal alkoxide (such as TEOS), a high vapor pressure solvent (such as ethanol) and a low vapor pressure solvent (such as water and 1-butanol) is disclosed. By a method according to the present invention, such a precursor sol is applied as a thin film to a semiconductor wafer, and the high vapor pressure solvent is allowed to evaporate while evaporation of the low vapor pressure solvent is limited, preferably by controlling the atmosphere adjacent to the wafer. The reduced sol is then allowed to gel at a concentration determined by the ratio of metal alkoxide to low vapor pressure solvent. One advantage of the present invention is that it provides a stable, spinnable sol for setting film thickness and providing good planarity and gap fill for patterned wafers.

Abstract: Improved processes for forming hydrophobic nanoporous dielectric coatings on substrates are provided. The improved processes involve forming a reaction mixture that combines at least one mono-, di- or trifunctional precursor with at least one tetrafunctional precursor, recovering the reaction product, and then depositing the reaction product onto a suitable substrate, followed by gelling of the deposited film. Precursors include alkoxy, acetoxy and halogen leaving groups.

Abstract: Improved processes for forming hydrophobic nanoporous dielectric coatings on substrates are provided. The improved processes involve forming a reaction mixture that combines at least one mono-, di- or trifunctional precursor with at least one tetrafunctional precursor, recovering the reaction product, and then depositing the reaction product onto a suitable substrate, followed by gelling of the deposited film. Precursors include alkoxy, acetoxy and halogen leaving groups.

Abstract: A structure that is suitable for partial or full use in a spacer of a flat-panel display. The structure may be formed with a porous body having a face along which multiple primary pores extend into the porous body. A coating consisting primarily of carbon and having a highly uniform thickness overlies the porous body's face, extending along the primary pores to coat their surfaces and converting the primary pores into further pores. The coating can be created by removing non-carbon material from carbon-containing species provided along the pores. A solid porous film whose thickness is normally no more than 20 &mgr;m has a resistivity of 108-1014 ohm-cm. A spacer for a flat-panel display contains a support body and an overlying, normally porous, layer whose resistivity is greater parallel to a face of the support body than perpendicular to the body's face.

Abstract: The present invention relates to low dielectric constant nanoporous silica films and to processes for their manufacture. A substrate, e.g., a wafer suitable for the production of an integrated circuit, having a plurality of raised lines and/or electronic elements present on its surface, is provided with a relatively high porosity, low dielectric constant, silicon-containing polymer film composition.

Abstract: This invention has enabled a new, simple thin film nanoporous dielectric fabrication method. In general, this invention uses glycerol, or another low volatility compound, as a solvent. This new method allows thin film aerogels/low density xerogels to be made without supercritical drying, freeze drying, or a surface modification step before drying. Thus, this invention allows production of nanoporous dielectrics at room temperature and atmospheric pressure, without a separate surface modification step. Although this new method allows fabrication of aerogels without substantial pore collapse during drying, there may be some permanent shrinkage during aging and/or drying. This invention allows controlled porosity thin film nanoporous aerogels to be deposited, gelled, aged, and dried without atmospheric controls.

Abstract: A process for forming a nanoporous silica dielectric coating on a substrate. A substrate containing a deposited film is suspended within a sealable hotplate, while remaining free of contact with the hotplate. The hotplate is sealed and an inert gas is flowed across the substrate. The hotplate is heated to a temperature of from about 350° C. or higher, and the substrate is forced to contact the heated hotplate. The substrate is heated for a time that sufficiently removes outgassing remnants from the resultant nanoporous dielectric coating.

Abstract: A method for obtaining lineage committed human cells imbued with enhanced proliferative potential, biological function, or both, comprising culturing lineage committed human cells under physiologically acceptable liquid culture conditions, where the liquid culture medium is replaced at a rate and for a time sufficient to obtain the human lineage committed cells imbued with enhanced proliferative potential, biological function, or both; and isolating the cultured cells.