Overview on Low Dielectric Constant Materials for IC Applications

Abstract

As integrated circuit dimensions continue to decrease, RC delay, crosstalk noise and power dissipation of the interconnect structure become limiting factors for ultra-large-scale integration of integrated circuits. Materials with low dielectric constant are being developed to replace silicon dioxide as interlevel dielectrics. This chapter provides an overview on the basic issues of low-k dielectrics for interconnect applications and serves as a framework to introduce the topics covered in contributed chapters of this book. First, the general approach to reduce the dielectric constant is discussed, emphasizing the correlation of dielectric polarizability with bonding characteristics and the tradeoff of dielectric constant and mechanical properties. Then, the material properties and integration requirements are discussed, followed by a discussion on the development of characterization techniques Finally, the development of porous low-k materials is briefly discussed and its challenge is highlighted by recent results obtained on the porosity effect on material properties of porous organosilicate films.