초록 ▼

An integrated circuit includes at least one porous silicon oxycarbide (SiOC) insulator, which provides good mechanical strength and a low dielectric constant (e.g., &egr;R<2) for minimizing parasitic capacitance. The insulator provides IC isolation, such as between circuit elements, between intercon

An integrated circuit includes at least one porous silicon oxycarbide (SiOC) insulator, which provides good mechanical strength and a low dielectric constant (e.g., &egr;R<2) for minimizing parasitic capacitance. The insulator provides IC isolation, such as between circuit elements, between interconnection lines, between circuit elements and interconnection lines, or as a passivation layer overlying both circuit elements and interconnection lines. The low dielectric constant silicon oxycarbide isolation insulator of the present invention reduces the parasitic capacitance between circuit nodes. As a result, the silicon oxycarbide isolation insulator advantageously provides reduced noise and signal crosstalk between circuit nodes, reduced power consumption, faster circuit operation, and minimizes the risk of potential timing faults.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method, comprising: forming a plurality of circuit elements on a substrate; coating at least a portion of a surface of the substrate and at least one of the plurality of circuit elements with a mixture of oxide and carbon sources; and transforming the mixture of oxide and carbon sources into

1. A method, comprising: forming a plurality of circuit elements on a substrate; coating at least a portion of a surface of the substrate and at least one of the plurality of circuit elements with a mixture of oxide and carbon sources; and transforming the mixture of oxide and carbon sources into a silicon oxycarbide having uniformly distributed voids that have an approximate diameter between 20 angstroms and 300 angstroms and which has a dielectric constant less than approximately 2.0. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the mixture of oxide and carbon sources are selected from the group consisting of polymeric precursors, alkoxysilane, silicon alkoxide, methyldimethoxysilane (MDMS), and tetraethoxysilane (TEOS). 3. The method of claim 1, wherein transforming the mixture of oxide and carbon sources includes removing an excess portion of the silicon oxycarbide by chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) to obtain a desired thickness of the silicon oxycarbide. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein transforming includes hydrolyzing the mixture in the presence of an acid. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein transforming includes pyrolyzing the mixture. 6. A method, comprising: providing a plurality of circuit elements on a substrate; coating at least a portion of a surface of the substrate with a mixture of oxide and carbon sources; transforming the mixture of oxide and carbon sources into a first porous oxycarbide glass dielectric layer on the integrated circuit and insulating first and second of the plurality of circuit elements from each other, the first porous oxycarbide glass dielectric layer having uniformly distributed voids that have an approximate diameter between 20 angstroms and 300 angstroms, wherein the first porous oxycarbide glass dielectric layer has a dielectric constant less than approximately 2.0; selectively forming vias in the first porous oxycarbide glass dielectric layer for providing connection to the first and second circuit elements; forming metal layers in the vias and elsewhere on a working surface of the substrate; patterning and etching the metal layers to provide desired interconnection between the first and second circuit elements and other circuit elements or interconnection lines; coating at least a portion of a surface of a substrate with a mixture of oxide and carbon sources; and transforming the mixture of oxide and carbon sources into a second porous oxycarbide glass dielectric layer on the integrated circuit. 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the second porous oxycarbide glass dielectric layer has uniformly distributed voids that have an approximate diameter between 20 angstroms and 300 angstroms. 8. The method of claim 6, wherein the second porous oxycarbide glass dielectric layer has a dielectric constant less than approximately 2.0. 9. A method, comprising: providing a plurality of transistors on a substrate; coating at least a portion of a surface of the substrate with a mixture of oxide and carbon sources; transforming the mixture of oxide and carbon sources into a first porous oxycarbide glass dielectric layer on the portion of the substrate surface and insulating first and second of the plurality of transistors from each other, the first porous oxycarbide glass dielectric layer having uniformly distributed voids that have an approximate diameter between 20 angstroms and 300 angstroms; selectively forming vias in the first porous oxycarbide glass dielectric layer for providing connection to the first and second transistors; forming metal layers in the vias and elsewhere on a working surface of the substrate; patterning and etching the metal layers to provide desired interconnection between the first and second transistors and other circuit elements or interconnection lines; thereafter coating at least a portion of a surface of a substrate with a second mixture of oxide and carbon sources; transforming the second mixture of oxide and carbon sources into a second porous oxycarbide glass dielectric layer on the substrate; and wherein the second porous oxycarbide glass dielectric layer has a dielectric constant less than approximately 2.0. 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the second porous oxycarbide glass dielectric layer has uniformly distributed voids that have an approximate diameter between 20 angstroms and 300 angstroms. 11. The method of claim 9, wherein the voids of the second porous oxycarbide glass dielectric layer are uniformly distributed. 12. The method of claim 9, wherein the first porous oxycarbide glass dielectric layer has a dielectric constant less than approximately 2.0. 13. A method, comprising: providing a plurality of circuit elements on a substrate; coating at least a first portion of a surface of the substrate with a mixture of oxide and carbon sources; transforming the mixture of oxide and carbon sources into a first porous oxycarbide glass dielectric layer on the first portion of the substrate surface and insulating first and second of the plurality of circuit elements from each other, the first porous oxycarbide glass dielectric layer having essentially uniformly distributed voids that have an approximate diameter between 20 angstroms and 300 angstroms; selectively forming vias in the first porous oxycarbide glass dielectric layer for providing connection to the first and second circuit elements; forming metal layers in the vias and elsewhere on a working surface of the substrate; patterning and etching the metal layers to provide desired interconnection between the first and second circuit elements and other circuit elements or interconnection lines; coating at least a second portion of a surface of a substrate with a mixture of oxide and carbon sources; transforming the mixture of oxide and carbon sources into a second porous oxycarbide glass dielectric layer on the second portion of the substrate surface; and wherein the first porous oxycarbide glass dielectric layer has a dielectric constant less than approximately 2.0. 14. A method, comprising: forming a plurality of circuit elements on a substrate; coating at least a portion of a surface of the substrate and at least one of the plurality of circuit elements with a mixture of oxide and carbon sources; and transforming the mixture of oxide and carbon sources into a silicon oxycarbide having uniformly distributed voids that have an approximate diameter between 20 angstroms and 300 angstroms and a dielectric constant less than approximately 2.0. 15. The method of claim 14 wherein the mixture of oxide and carbon sources are selected from the group consisting of polymeric precursors, alkoxysilane, silicon alkoxide, methyldimethoxysilane (MDMS), and tetraethoxysilane (TEOS). 16. The method of claim 14, wherein transforming the mixture of oxide and carbon sources includes removing an excess portion of the silicon oxycarbide by chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) to obtain a desired thickness of the silicon oxycarbide. 17. The method of claim 14, wherein transforming includes hydrolyzing the mixture in the presence of an acid. 18. The method of claim 14, wherein transforming includes pyrolyzing the mixture. 19. A method, comprising: forming a plurality of circuit elements on a substrate; coating at least a portion of a surface of the substrate and at least one of the plurality of circuit elements with a mixture of oxide and carbon sources; and transforming the mixture of oxide and carbon sources into a silicon oxycarbide having uniformly distributed voids that have an approximate diameter of 30 angstroms and a dielectric constant less than approximately 2.0. 20. The method of claim 19, wherein the mixture of oxide and carbon sources are selected from the group consisting of polymeric precursors, alkoxysilane, silicon alkoxide, methyldimethoxysilane (MDMS), and tetraethoxysilane (TEOS). 21. The method of claim 19, wherein transforming the mixture of oxide and carbon sources includes removing an excess portion of t he silicon oxycarbide by chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) to obtain a desired thickness of the silicon oxycarbide. 22. The method of claim 19, wherein transforming includes hydrolyzing the mixture in the presence of an acid. 23. The method of claim 19, wherein transforming includes pyrolyzing the mixture. 24. A method, comprising: forming a plurality of circuit elements on a substrate; coating at least a portion of a surface of the substrate and at least one of the plurality of circuit elements with a mixture of oxide and carbon sources; and transforming the mixture of oxide and carbon sources into a silicon oxycarbide having uniformly distributed voids that have an approximate diameter of 200 angstroms. 25. The method of claim 24, wherein the mixture of oxide and carbon sources are selected from the group consisting of polymeric precursors, alkoxysilane, silicon alkoxide, methyldimethoxysilane (MDMS), and tetraethoxysilane (TEOS). 26. The method of claim 24, wherein transforming the mixture of oxide and carbon sources includes removing an excess portion of the silicon oxycarbide by chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) to obtain a desired thickness of the silicon oxycarbide. 27. The method of claim 24, wherein transforming includes hydrolyzing the mixture in the presence of an acid. 28. The method of claim 24, wherein transforming includes pyrolyzing the mixture. 29. A method, comprising: coating at least a portion of a surface of the substrate with a mixture of oxide and carbon sources; and transforming the mixture of oxide and carbon sources into a silicon oxycarbide having uniformly distributed voids that have an approximate diameter between 20 angstroms and 300 angstroms and which has a dielectric constant less than approximately 2.0. 30. A method, comprising: coating at least a portion of a surface of the substrate with a mixture of oxide and carbon sources; and transforming the mixture of oxide and carbon sources into a silicon oxycarbide having uniformly distributed voids that have an approximate diameter of 30 angstroms and having a dielectric constant less than approximately 2.0. 31. A method, comprising: coating at least a portion of a surface of the substrate with a mixture of oxide and carbon sources; and transforming the mixture of oxide and carbon sources into a silicon oxycarbide having uniformly distributed voids that have an approximate diameter of 200 angstroms.