The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 09, 2012
Filed:
Aug. 13, 2009
Scott Jeffrey Weigel, Allentown, PA (US);
Mark Leonard O'neill, Allentown, PA (US);
Mary Kathryn Haas, Emmaus, PA (US);
Laura M. Matz, Allentown, PA (US);
Glenn Michael Mitchell, Sellersville, PA (US);
Aiping Wu, Macungie, PA (US);
Raymond Nicholas Vrtis, Orefield, PA (US);
John Giles Langan, Pleasanton, CA (US);
Scott Jeffrey Weigel, Allentown, PA (US);
Mark Leonard O'Neill, Allentown, PA (US);
Mary Kathryn Haas, Emmaus, PA (US);
Laura M. Matz, Allentown, PA (US);
Glenn Michael Mitchell, Sellersville, PA (US);
Aiping Wu, Macungie, PA (US);
Raymond Nicholas Vrtis, Orefield, PA (US);
John Giles Langan, Pleasanton, CA (US);
Air Products and Chemicals, Inc., Allentown, PA (US);
Abstract
A method for preparing an interlayer dielectric to minimize damage to the interlayer's dielectric properties, the method comprising the steps of: depositing a layer of a silicon-containing dielectric material onto a substrate, wherein the layer has a first dielectric constant and wherein the layer has at least one surface; providing an etched pattern in the layer by a method that includes at least one etch process and exposure to a wet chemical composition to provide an etched layer, wherein the etched layer has a second dielectric constant, and wherein the wet chemical composition contributes from 0 to 40% of the second dielectric constant; contacting the at least one surface of the layer with a silicon-containing fluid; optionally removing a first portion of the silicon-containing fluid such that a second portion of the silicon-containing fluid remains in contact with the at least one surface of the layer; and exposing the at least one surface of the layer to UV radiation and thermal energy, wherein the layer has a third dielectric constant that is restored to a value that is at least 90% restored relative to the second dielectric constant.