Texas Instruments Corporation

Cabot Corporation

Other

William C Ackerman

Douglas M Smith

Shin-Puu Jeng

Gregory P Johnston

Bruce E Gnade

Richard A Stoltz

Stephen C Wallace

David J Kaul

Alok Maskara

Teresa A Ramos

James A Belmont

Kenneth C Koehlert

Ralph Ulrich Boes

Jin Changming

Gregory C Johnston

Chih-Chen Cho

Chi-Chen Cho

Elsbeth R Lokey

A portable cooler has at least three separate storage compartments that comprise at least one ice-cold storage compartment; at least one dry moderately cold storage compartment; and at least one dry non-cold storage compartment. A temperature gradient construction enables the user to proficiently store food and non-food items of varying water sensitivities and temperature needs. Typically, a wet cooling medium is added to the ice-cold storage compartment. Discrete thermal conduction pathways extend from the ice-cold storage compartment into the moderately cold storage compartment, cooling the moderately cold storage compartment. The less cold compartment and the non-cold compartment are completely dry of water. Each of the compartments has its own lid enabling selective entry and thereby preventing temperature fluctuations and moister transfer when another compartment is accessed. The portable cooler has a plurality of foldable wheels on the base thereof to facilitate portability.

Compartmentalized portable cooler with cooling gradient

This invention has enabled a new, simple nanoporous dielectric fabrication method. In general, this invention uses a polyol, such as glycerol, as a solvent. This new method allows both bulk and thin film aerogels to be made without supercritical drying, freeze drying, or a surface modification step before drying. Prior art aerogels have required at least one of these steps to prevent substantial pore collapse during drying. Thus, this invention allows production of nanoporous dielectrics at room temperature and atmospheric pressure, without a separate surface modification step. Although not required to prevent substantial densification, this new method does not exclude the use of supercritical drying or surface modification steps prior to drying. In general, this new method is compatible with most prior art aerogel techniques. Although this new method allows fabrication of aerogels without substantial pore collapse during drying, there may be some permanent shrinkage during aging and/or drying.

Polyol-based method for forming thin film aerogels on semiconductor substrates

This invention has enabled a new, simple thin film nanoporous dielectric fabrication method. In general, this invention uses glycerol, or another low volatility compound, as a solvent. This new method allows thin film aerogels/low density xerogels to be made without supercritical drying, freeze drying, or a surface modification step before drying. Thus, this invention allows production of nanoporous dielectrics at room temperature and atmospheric pressure, without a separate surface modification step. Although this new method allows fabrication of aerogels without substantial pore collapse during drying, there may be some permanent shrinkage during aging and/or drying. This invention allows controlled porosity thin film nanoporous aerogels to be deposited, gelled, aged, and dried without atmospheric controls. In another aspect, this invention allows controlled porosity thin film nanoporous aerogels to be deposited, gelled, rapidly aged at an elevated temperature, and dried with only passive atmospheric controls, such as limiting the volume of the aging chamber.

Low volatility solvent-based method for forming thin film nanoporous aerogels on semiconductor substrates

This invention pertains generally to precursors and deposition methods suited to aerogel thin film fabrication. An aerogel precursor sol which contains an oligomerized metal alkoxide (such as TEOS), a high vapor pressure solvent (such as ethanol) and a low vapor pressure solvent (such as water and 1-butanol) is disclosed. By a method according to the present invention, such a precursor sol is applied as a thin film to a semiconductor wafer, and the high vapor pressure solvent is allowed to evaporate while evaporation of the low vapor pressure solvent is limited, preferably by controlling the atmosphere adjacent to the wafer. The reduced sol is then allowed to gel at a concentration determined by the ratio of metal alkoxide to low vapor pressure solvent. One advantage of the present invention is that it provides a stable, spinnable sol for setting film thickness and providing good planarity and gap fill for patterned wafers. In addition, however, the reduced sol may be gelled rapidly from a known sol concentration keyed to the desired final density of the aerogel thin film and largely independent of film thickness and spin conditions.

Aerogel thin film formation from multi-solvent systems

This pertains generally to precursors and deposition methods suited to aerogel thin film fabrication of nanoporous dielectrics. An aerogel precursor sol is disclosed. This aerogel precursor sol contains a metal alkoxide (such as TEOS) and a solvent, but no gelation catalyst. By a method according to the present invention, such a precursor sol is applied as a nongelling thin film,to a semiconductor substrate,This substrate may contain patterned conductors,gaps,or other structures. An independent gelation catalyst (preferably, vapor phase ammonia) is added to promote rapid gelation of the thin film sol,at the desired time. One advantage is that it allows substantially independent control of gelation and pore fluid evaporation. This independent catalyst introduction allows additional processing steps to be performed between sol deposition and the onset of substantial gelation. One potential step is to evaporate a portion of the pore fluid solvent. Additional advantages of independent catalyst introduction are that it reduces the need for process steps requiring critical timing and provides a large increase in the pot life of the precursor sol.

Nanoporous dielectric thin film formation using a post-deposition catalyst

Disclosed are processes for producing gel composition which may be utilized to produce low density gel compositions without the need for supercritical drying, thermal treatment or surface treatment. The processes comprise drying a wet gel comprising gel solids and a drying agent to remove the drying agent while minimizing shrinkage of the gel during drying.

Process for producing low density gel compositions

Processes for producing gel compositions comprising: esterifying a portion of the surface of a gel composition sufficient to produce a gel composition having a rod density of less than or equal to 0.15 g/cc, and/or a tap density of less than or equal to 0.2 g/cc through contact with at least one esterification agent and at least one catalyst. The processes may be utilized to produce low density gel compositions without the need for a supercritical drying step or thermal treatment.

This invention provides an improved porous structure for semiconductor devices and a process for making the same. This process may be applied to an existing porous structure 28, which may be deposited, for example, between patterned conductors 24. The method may comprise providing a substrate comprising a microelectronic circuit and a porous silica layer, the porous silica layer having an average pore diameter between 2 and 80 nm; and heating the substrate to one or more temperatures between 100 and 490 degrees C. in a substantially halogen-free atmosphere, whereby one or more dielectric properties of the porous dielectric are improved. In some embodiments, the atmosphere comprises a phenyl-containing atmosphere, such as hexaphenyldisilazane. In some embodiments, the method further comprises cooling the substrate and exposing the substrate to a substantially halogen-free atmosphere comprising either a phenyl-containing compound, such as hexaphenyldisilazane; or a methyl-containing compound, such as hexamethyldisilazane. It has been found that a porous structure treated in such a manner generally exhibits improved dielectric properties relative to an untreated sample.

Porous dielectric material with improved pore surface properties for

This invention pertains generally to precursors and deposition methods suited to aerogel thin film fabrication. An aerogel precursor sol which contains an oligomerized metal alkoxide (such as TEOS), a high vapor pressure solvent (such as ethanol) and a low vapor pressure solvent (such as water and 1-butanol) is disclosed. By a method according to the present invention, such a precursor sol is applied as a thin film to a semiconductor wafer, and the high vapor pressure solvent is allowed to evaporate while evaporation of the low vapor pressure solvent is limited, preferably by controlling the atmosphere adjacent to the wafer. The reduced sol is then allowed to gel at a concentration determined by the ratio of metal.alkoxide to low vapor pressure solvent. One advantage of the present invention is that it provides a stable, spinnable sol for setting film thickness and providing good planarity and gap fill for patterned wafers. In addition, however, the reduced sol may be gelled rapidly from a known sol concentration keyed to the desired final density of the aerogel thin film and largely independent of film thickness and spin conditions.

New gel conpositions which comprise a carbonaceous component attached to a gel component. Preferably, the corbonaceous component is selected from the group consisting of: carbon blacks, carbon fibers, activated carbons and graphitic carbons; and the gel component is selected from the group consisting of: metal oxide gels and polymeric gels. Also disclosed are new gel composition comprising: a gel component and a carbon black product having attached at least one organic group, the organic group comprising: a) at least one aromatic group, and b) at least one ionic group, at least one ionizable group, or a mixture of an ionic group and an ionizable group, wherein at least one aromatic group of the organic group is directly attached to the carbon black. Further disclosed are new gel compositon comprising: a gel component and a carbon black product having attached at least one organic group, the organic group comprising: a) at least one C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 alkyl group, and b) at least one ionic group, at least one ionizable group, or a mixture of an ionic group and an ionizable group, wherein at least one alkyl group of the organic group is directly attached to the carbon black. Uses for the gel compositions are also disclosed.

Gel compositions

A for producing metal oxide and/or organo-metal oxide compositions from metal oxide and organo-metal oxide precursors utilizing a rate modifying drying agent. The process allows metal oxide and/or organo-metal oxide compositions to be produced from a wide variety of metal oxide and organo-metal oxide precursors including metal halides and organometallic halides.

Process for producing metal oxide and organo-metal oxide compositions

This pertains generally to precursors and deposition methods suited to aerogel thin film fabrication of nanoporous dielectrics. A method of forming a nanoporous dielectric on a semiconductor substrate is disclosed. By a method according to the present invention, a precursor sol is applied as a nongelling thin film 14 to a semiconductor substrate 10. This substrate may contain patterned conductors 12, gaps 13, and/or other structures. A portion of the solvent is evaporated from the thin film 14 to produce a reduced thickness film 18. Film 18 is gelled and may be aged. A surface modification agent is introduced to the reaction atmosphere in a vaporish form, e.g., a vapor, mist, aerosol, or similar form. The surface modifier can then diffuse into, condense onto, and/or settle onto the wet gel and then diffuse throughout the thin film. This vaporish introduction of the surface modification agent ensures that there are no strong fluid flows across the wafer that might damage the wet gel. It can also be compatible with standard processing equipment and can potentially be used with other reaction atmosphere controls that reduce premature drying of the gel.

Growing community of inventors

Albuquerque, NM, United States of America

William C Ackerman