Abstract: Method for pore sealing a porous substrate, comprising: forming a continuous monolayer of a polyimide precursor on a liquid surface, transferring said polyimide precursor monolayer onto the porous substrate with the Langmuir-Blodgett technique, and imidization of the transferred polyimide precursor monolayers, thereby forming a polyimide sealing layer on the porous substrate. Porous substrate having at least one surface on which a sealing layer is provided to seal pores of the substrate, wherein the sealing layer is a polyimide having a thickness of a few monolayers and wherein there is no penetration of the polyimide into the pores.

Abstract: A method for treating a surface of a porous material in an environment is provided, comprising setting the temperature of the surface to a value T1 and setting the pressure of the environment to a value P1, contacting the surface with a fluid having a solidifying temperature at the pressure value P1 above the value T1 and having a vaporizing temperature at the pressure value P1 below 80° C., thereby solidifying the fluid in pores of the material, thereby sealing the pores, treating the surface, wherein the treatment is preferably an etching or a modification of the surface, and setting the temperature of the surface to a value T2 and setting the pressure of the environment to a value P2 in such a way as to vaporize the fluid.

Abstract: A non-destructive and simple analytical method is provided which allows in situ monitoring of plasma damage during the plasma processing such as resist stripping. If a low-k film is damaged during plasma processing, one of the reaction products is water, which is remained adsorbed onto the low-k film (into pores), if the temperature is lower than 100-150 C. A plasma (e.g. He) that emits high energy EUV photons (E>20 eV) which is able to destruct water molecules forming electronically excited oxygen atoms is used to detect the adsorbed water. The excited oxygen is detected from optical emission at 777 nm. Therefore, the higher the adsorbed water concentration (higher damage), a more intensive (oxygen) signal is detected. Therefore, intensity of oxygen signal is a measure of plasma damage in the previous strip step.

Abstract: Methods for fabricating porous low-k materials are provided, such as plasma enhanced chemically vapor deposited (PE-CVD) and chemically vapor deposited (CVD) low-k films used as dielectric materials in between interconnect structures in semiconductor devices. More specifically, a new method is provided which results in a low-k material with significant improved chemical stability and improved elastic modulus, for a porosity obtained.

Abstract: An improved reaction chamber cleaning process is provided for removing water residues that makes use of noble-gas plasma reactions. The method is easy applicable and may be combined with standard cleaning procedure. A noble-gas plasma (e.g. He) that emits high energy EUV photons (E>20 eV) which is able to destruct water molecules to form electronically excited oxygen atoms is used to remove the adsorbed water.

Abstract: A method is provided for producing a porogen-residue-free ultra low-k film with porosity higher than 50% and a high elastic modulus above 5 GPa. The method starts with depositing a SiCOH film using Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition (PE-CVD) or Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) onto a substrate and then first Performing an atomic hydrogen treatment at elevated wafer temperature in the range of 200° C. up to 350° C. to remove all the porogens and then performing a UV assisted thermal curing step.

Abstract: A non-destructive and simple analytical method is provided which allows in situ monitoring of plasma damage during the plasma processing such as resist stripping. If a low-k film is damaged during plasma processing, one of the reaction products is water, which is remained adsorbed onto the low-k film (into pores), if the temperature is lower than 100-150 C. A plasma (e.g. He) that emits high energy EUV photons (E>20 eV) which is able to destruct water molecules forming electronically excited oxygen atoms is used to detect the adsorbed water. The excited oxygen is detected from optical emission at 777 nm. Therefore, the higher the adsorbed water concentration (higher damage), a more intensive (oxygen) signal is detected. Therefore, intensity of oxygen signal is a measure of plasma damage in the previous strip step.

Abstract: An improved reaction chamber cleaning process is provided for removing water residues that makes use of noble-gas plasma reactions. The method is easy applicable and may be combined with standard cleaning procedure. A noble-gas plasma (e.g. He) that emits high energy EUV photons (E>20 eV) which is able to destruct water molecules to form electronically excited oxygen atoms is used to remove the adsorbed water.

Abstract: A method is disclosed to measure the permeability of films or coatings towards solvents (e.g. water). First a substrate comprising an absorption or container layer is provided, preferably the material is a porous material. To study water permeability, the porous material is hydrophilic or is made hydrophilic by means of e.g. an anneal process. To study the permeability of the film or coating, the coating is deposited on top of the porous material. The substrate comprising the film or coating on top of the absorption or container layer is then brought into a pressurizable chamber subsequently filled with the gaseous substance of the solvent (e.g. water vapor). By increasing/decreasing the vapor pressure in the chamber between zero and the equilibrium vapor pressure of the solvent used, the permeability (penetration) of solvent through the film or coating can be determined. The amount of solvent that can penetrate through the film or coating can be measured by means of ellipsometry, mass spectrometry, etc.

Abstract: Methods for the quantification of hydrophilic properties of a porous material, as well as determining a depth of damage of a porous material are disclosed. An example method includes performing a first ellipsometric measurement on the porous material using a first adsorptive having a first wetting angle. The example method further includes performing a second ellipsometric measurement on the porous material using a second adsorptive having a second wetting angle, wherein the first and second wetting angles are different towards the porous material. The hydrophilic properties of the porous material are determined based, at least in part, on the first and second ellipsometric measurements.

Abstract: A method is disclosed to measure the permeability of films or coatings towards solvents (e.g. water). First a substrate comprising an absorption or container layer is provided, preferably the material is a porous material. To study water permeability, the porous material is hydrophilic or is made hydrophilic by means of e.g. an anneal process. To study the permeability of the film or coating, the coating is deposited on top of the porous material. The substrate comprising the film or coating on top of the absorption or container layer is then brought into a pressurizable chamber subsequently filled with the gaseous substance of the solvent (e.g. water vapor). By increasing/decreasing the vapor pressure in the chamber between zero and the equilibrium vapor pressure of the solvent used, the permeability (penetration) of solvent through the film or coating can be determined. The amount of solvent that can penetrate through the film or coating can be measured by means of ellipsometry, mass spectrometry, etc.

Abstract: Methods for the quantification of hydrophilic properties of a porous material, as well as determining a depth of damage of a porous material are disclosed. An example method includes performing a first ellipsometric measurement on the porous material using a first adsorptive having a first wetting angle. The example method further includes performing a second ellipsometric measurement on the porous material using a second adsorptive having a second wetting angle, wherein the first and second wetting angles are different towards the porous material. The hydrophilic properties of the porous material are determined based, at least in part, on the first and second ellipsometric measurements.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a method to produce a porous oxygen-silicon insulating layer comprising following steps:

Abstract: The present invention concerns a method to produce a porous oxygen-silicon insulating layer comprising following steps: applying a silicon oxygen layer to a substrate exposing the said substrate to a HF ambient.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a method to produce a porous oxygen-silicon insulating layer comprising following steps: