Effects of O-2 plasma treatment on the chemical and electric properties of low-k SiOF films

With the progress of ULS1 technology, materials with low dielectric constant are required to replace SiO2 film as the interlayer to scale down the interconnection delay. Fluorinated Si oxide thin films (SiOF) are a promising material for the low dielectric constant and the process compatibility in existing technology. However, SiOF films are liable to absorb moisture. when exposed to air. By treating the SiOF films with O2 plasma, it was found that the moisture resistibility of SiOF films was remarkably improved. The mechanism of the improvement in stability of dielectric constant was investigated. The results show that: 1) F atoms dissociated from the films and the bond angle of Si-O-Si decreased. 2) The plasma treatment enhanced the strength of Si-F bonds by removing unstable ＝SiF2 structures in the films. Resistibility of SiOF films in moisture was improved.