Organosilicate glass (OSG) nanoporous films with a low dielectric constant (low-k) are used as interlayer-dielectric insulators for advanced interconnects of ultra-large-scale integration devices. Plasma treatment of these materials can lead to their degradation resulting in increasing k-value and reducing lifetime and reliability. However, for some OSG films, the densification of the uppermost surface layer and pore sealing was observed under ion irradiation. This paper presents the results of a combined experimental and modeling study of mechanisms of low-k film densification by ion bombardment depending on the film-pore size, ion type, and energy.The obtained results reveal that experimentally observed densification and pore sealing of uppermost layers of OSG films occur via collapse of near-surface pores under the impact of energetic ions.
K E Y W O R D Slow-k dielectrics, molecular dynamics, nanoporous materials, plasma damage, pore sealing
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.