Systems and methods for filling voids and improving properties of porous thin films

Abstract

A treated thin film that reduces the intrusions or migrations of photolithography materials is achieved by introducing a sol-gel layer onto a porous thin film prior to applying the photolithography/photoresist material layer. Curing the sol-gel layer results in the sol-gel layer merging or unifying with the underlying porous thin film layer so that the combined sol-gel/thin film layer exhibits substantially the same properties as the untreated porous thin film layer before the sol-gel was applied. As a result, a greater etching accuracy is achieved.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 ] A method of reducing the effects of surface penetrating defects in a substrate having a thin film, comprising: 
 providing a substrate;    applying a thin film on or over the substrate;    applying a sol-gel layer on or over the thin film, the sol-gel layer filling at least some voids, cracks or other surface penetrating defects present in the thin film; and    curing the sol-gel layer to combine the sol-gel layer and the thin film layer into a sol-gel/thin film layer.    
     
     
         2 ] The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sol-gel is a liquid.  
     
     
         3 ] The method of  claim 1 , wherein curing the sol-gel yields the sol-gel/thin film layer that exhibits at least one property that is substantially the same as the corresponding property in the thin film layer resulting from the applying step.  
     
     
         4 ] The method of  claim 3 , wherein the at least one property is at least one of a coefficient of thermal expansion and an etch rate.  
     
     
         5 ] The method of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one property includes, in addition, an increased mechanical strength.  
     
     
         6 ] The method of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one property includes, in addition, a substantially uniform medium for transmitting acoustic waves.  
     
     
         7 ] The method of  claim 1 , further comprising 
 applying a photoresist material layer to the sol-gel/thin-film layer;    exposing the photoresist material layer through a mask;    developing the photoresist material layer to achieve a pattern of protected portions of the sol-gel/thin film layer;    applying an etchant to remove unprotected portions of the sol-gel/thin film layer; and    removing the photoresist material layer remaining over the protected portions of the sol-gel/thin film layer.    
     
     
         8 ] A treated thin film having reduced effects of porosity voids or other surface penetrating defects, the treated thin film comprising: 
 a substrate;    a porous thin film layer formed on or over the substrate; and    a sol-gel layer that fills voids, cracks or other surface penetrating defects in the porous thin film layer.    
     
     
         9 ] The method of  claim 7 , wherein the sol-gel is a liquid.  
     
     
         10 ] The treated thin film layer of  claim 8 , 
 wherein curing the sol-gel layer results in the sol-gel layer combining with the porous thin film layer to form the treated thin film layer.    
     
     
         11 ] The treated porous thin film of  claim 10 , wherein the treated thin film layer exhibits at least one property substantially similar to the corresponding property in the porous thin film layer before the sol-gel layer was applied.  
     
     
         12 ] The treated porous thin film of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one property is at least one of mechanical strength, coefficient of thermal expansion, etch rate, and velocity of sound.  
     
     
         13 ] The treated thin film of  claim 11 , further comprising a photoresist material layer applied on or over the sol-gel/thin film layer, wherein the photoresist material layer is patterned and developed to produce a patterned photoresist material layer defining protected and unprotected portions of the treated thin film layer.  
     
     
         14 ] The treated porous thin film of  claim 13 , wherein the unprotected portions of the treated thin film layer are removed using an etchant such that a patterned treated thin film is obtained.  
     
     
         15 ] A treated thin film layer having reduced effects of porosity voids or other surface penetrating defects, the treated thin film comprising: 
 a substrate;    a porous thin film layer formed on or over the substrate; and    a sol-gel material that fills voids, cracks or other surface penetrating defects in the porous thin film layer.    
     
     
         16 ] The treated thin film of  claim 15 , wherein the sol-gel is a liquid.  
     
     
         17 ] The treated thin film of  claim 15 , wherein the treated thin film includes at least one of an oxide and a metallic salt.  
     
     
         18 ] The treated thin film layer of  claim 15 , wherein the sol-gel material includes at least one material selected from the group consisting of oxides, nitrides, sulfides, antimonides, arsenides, borides, bromides, carbides, chlorides, cyanides, disulfides, fluorides, hydroxides, iodides, monoxides, nitrides, oxyfluorides, oxynitrides, pentoxides, peroxides, phosphides, selenides, tellurides, titanides, aluminates, silicates, stannates, titanates and tungstates.  
     
     
         19 ] The thin film layer of  claim 17 , wherein the treated thin film layer includes a metallic salt that includes zinc.