The effects of nitrous oxide plasma surface treatment of fluorinated silica glass (FSG) films were investigated to improve film stability and adhesion properties. FSG films with varying fluorine concentrations were deposited using plasma‐enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), then exposed to a nitrous oxide plasma to modify the surface. Treated films were boiled to study the moisture absorption, and subsequent depositions of foreign passivation films such as silicon nitride, silicon oxynitride, etc., were used to study the changes in adhesion characteristics. It was found that plasma treatments under certain conditions could enhance the adhesion characteristics of films with higher fluorine dopant levels but did not measurably change the moisture resistance of the films. The effects of the plasma treatment were confined to the surface and did not measurably effect the bulk properties of the film. The effects of the nitrous oxide plasma treatment of PECVD FSG films are presented along with proposed mechanisms to explain the effects.
Fluorine doping of silicon dioxide films in tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS)-based plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) processes was investigated using two fluorine dopant sources, C 2 F 6 and 1,2 bis[methyldifluorosilyl]ethane (FASi-4). Much as TEOS-based undoped silica glass (USG) films display improved step coverage over silane-based USG films, it was suspected that fluorinated silica glass (FSG) films deposited using the relatively new TEOS-based fluorine source FASi-4 might have improved gap fill capabilities as compared to FSG films deposited using gas-based C 2 F 6 fluorine sources. The physical properties and intermetal gap filling capabilities of FSG films deposited using FASi-4 as a fluorine dopant source were compared with the properties of FSG films deposited using C 2 F 6 as a fluorine source. Fluorine dopant levels in the films were found to be linear functions of C 2 F 6 ͞TEOS and FASi-4͞TEOS ratios. The RI, film stress, and gap fill capability were found to be strongly dependent on the Si-F content in the film regardless of dopant source reagents. Improved gap fill characteristics were observed in films doped with FASi-4 at a given Si -F͞Si-O% as compared to C 2 F 6 -based FSG films. Dopant source dependence of doping characteristics, physical properties, and gap filling capability of FSG films is reported. 70
A study of the effect of fluidic velocities and extensional strain rates on DNA hybridization microchips was conducted. The hybridization efficiency could be improved by introducing velocity and extensional strain rate. Compared with conventional hybridization methods, this microchip was able to increase the hybridization signal nine-fold within 30 min. Three different devices were designed, fabricated and tested using 1.4 kb single stranded DNA as the target. Excellent correlation between simulation analysis and experimental data was obtained. Experimental results showed that the effect of extensional strain rate on the hybridization was larger than that of velocity. Based on this information, a new design of hybridization chip with microfluidic concepts of velocity and extensional strain rate may provide additional efficiency in DNA detection. This hybridization microchip can provide potential applications in genomic study in the future.
Recently, we reported the deposition of fluorinated amorphous carbon (FlAC) from hexafluorobenzene (C6F6) under parallel plate (PP) and inductively coupled plasma (ICP-HDP) conditions. Based on initial materials testing, these two platforms generated comparable materials with low dielectric constants (2.4 – 2.8), low weight loss/shrinkage (< 1.5 %/hr. at 425° C), hardness (2–3 Gpa) and adhesion (4–9 kpsi). Here we attempt to answer a basic integration question: FIAC compatibility with other materials used in the interconnect scheme. Investigations of adhesion of F1AC to, and capped by, silicon oxide, silicon nitride and various metals shows generally greater stability of the ICP generated material vs. PP-FIAC. Failures appeared to occur primarily at the FIAC/film interface at 400 and 300 °C for ICP and PP respectively. Although thickness-loss and weight-loss measurements indicate good thermal stability, TDS spectra show low-level outgassing of fluorine-based molecules and fragments even in samples annealed for 4 hours at 400 °C, resulting in interface failures. Plasma treatments and anneals of the F1AC were found to have a minimal effect but liner/cap composition and processing has a strong influence on the adhesion of other films to the fluorocarbon.
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