Verdonck, Patrick; Šamara, Vladimir; Goodyear, Alec; Ferchichi, Abdelkarim; Van Besien, Els; Baklanov, Mikhail R. and Braithwaite, Nicholas
(2011).
| DOI (Digital Object Identifier) Link: | http://dx.doi.org/doi:10.1016/j.tsf.2011.06.046 |
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| Google Scholar: | Look up in Google Scholar |
Abstract
In this study, special tests were devised in order to investigate the influence of ion bombardment on the damage induced in low-k dielectrics by oxygen plasmas. By placing a sample that suffered a lot of ion bombardment and one which suffered little ion bombardment simultaneously in the same plasma, it was possible to verify that ion bombardment in fact helped to protect the low-k film against oxygen plasma induced damage. Exhaustive analyses (ellipsometry, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, porosimetry, capacitance–voltage (C–V) measurements, water contact angle analysis) show that ion bombardment induced the formation of a denser top layer in the film, which then hampered further penetration of active oxygen species deeper into the bulk. This was further confirmed by other tests combining capacitively and inductively coupled plasmas. Therefore, it was possible to conclude that, at least for these plasmas, ion bombardment may help to reduce plasma induced damage to low-k materials.
| Item Type: | Journal Article |
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| Copyright Holders: | 2011 Elsevier B.V. |
| ISSN: | 0040-6090 |
| Keywords: | low-k dielectrics; thin films; plasma; damage; oxygen; Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy |
| Academic Unit/Department: | Science > Physical Sciences Mathematics, Computing and Technology > Design, Development, Environment and Materials |
| Interdisciplinary Research Centre: | Centre for Earth, Planetary, Space and Astronomical Research (CEPSAR) |
| Item ID: | 29335 |
| Depositing User: | Alec Goodyear |
| Date Deposited: | 13 Oct 2011 08:00 |
| Last Modified: | 11 Dec 2012 10:56 |
| URI: | http://oro.open.ac.uk/id/eprint/29335 |
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