Inventors:
Ralph Albano - Columbia MD, US
Cory Bargeron - Midland MI, US
Jeff Bremmer - Midland MI, US
Phil Dembowski - Midland MI, US
Orlando Escorcia - Falls Church VA, US
Qingyuan Han - Columbia MD, US
Nick Sbrockey - Gaithersburg MD, US
Carlo Waldfried - Falls Church VA, US
Assignee:
Axcelis Technologies, Inc. - Beverly MA
Dow Corning Corporation - Midland MI
International Classification:
H05H001/24
B05D003/06
C08F002/52
C08J007/18
US Classification:
427536, 427535, 427539, 427489, 438788, 438789
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. The post-plasma treated, plasma cured porous dielectric material has a dielectric constant between about 1. 1 and about 3.