Abstract: Low dielectric constant porous materials with improved elastic modulus and hardness. The process of making such porous materials involves providing a porous dielectric material and plasma curing the porous dielectric material to produce a plasma cured porous dielectric material. Plasma curing of the porous dielectric material yields a material with improved modulus and hardness. The improvement in elastic modulus is typically greater than or about 50%, more typically greater than or about 100%, and more typically greater than or about 200%. The improvement in hardness is typically greater than or about 50%. The plasma cured porous dielectric material can optionally be post-plasma treated. The post-plasma treatment of the plasma cured porous dielectric material reduces the dielectric constant of the material while maintaining an improved elastic modulus and hardness as compared to the plasma cured porous dielectric material.

Abstract: A method of forming a coating on a substrate. A coating is formed on a substrate by depositing a solution comprising a resin molecule containing at least 2 Si—H groups, at least 2 Si—CH3 groups, or a combination thereof, and, a solvent in a manner in which at least about 5 volume % of the solvent remains in the coating after deposition, followed by exposing the coating to UV radiation at a power and wavelength spectrum sufficient to cause hydrolysis of the Si—H groups, Si—CH3 groups, or combination thereof, and at least partial condensation, and evaporating the solvent from the coating to form a porous network coating. The method enables production of low-k materials without treatment with ammonia.

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.

Abstract: Low dielectric constant porous materials with improved elastic modulus and film hardness. The process of making such porous materials involves providing a porous dielectric material and plasma curing the porous dielectric material to produce a plasma cured porous dielectric material. Plasma curing of the porous dielectric material yields a material with improved modulus and hardness, but with a higher dielectric constant. The improvement in elastic modulus is typically greater than about 100%, and more typically greater than about 200%. The improvement in film hardness is typically greater than about 50%. The porous dielectric material is plasma cured for a time between about 15 and about 120 seconds at a temperature less than about 350° C. The plasma cured porous dielectric material can optionally be post-plasma treated.