STRUCTURE AND METHOD FOR SiCOH INTERFACES WITH INCREASED MECHANICAL STRENGTH

Abstract

Disclosed is a structure and method for forming a structure including a SiCOH layer having increased mechanical strength. The structure includes a substrate having a layer of dielectric or conductive material, a layer of oxide on the layer of dielectric or conductive material, the oxide layer having essentially no carbon, a graded transition layer on the oxide layer, the graded transition layer having essentially no carbon at the interface with the oxide layer and gradually increasing carbon towards a porous SiCOH layer, and a porous SiCOH (pSiCOH) layer on the graded transition layer, the porous pSiCOH layer having an homogeneous composition throughout the layer. The method includes a process wherein in the graded transition layer, there are no peaks in the carbon concentration and no dips in the oxygen concentration.

1 . A SiCOH film structure comprising:
 a substrate having a layer of dielectric or conductive material;   a layer of oxide on the layer of dielectric or conductive material, the oxide layer having essentially no carbon;   a graded transition layer on the oxide layer, the graded transition layer having essentially no carbon at the interface with the oxide layer and gradually increasing carbon towards a porous SiCOH layer; and   a porous SiCOH (pSiCOH) layer on the graded transition layer, the porous pSiCOH layer having an homogeneous composition throughout the layer.   
   
   
       2 . The structure of  claim 1  wherein in the oxide layer, the concentration of carbon is less than up to 3 atomic percent. 
   
   
       3 . The structure of  claim 1  wherein in the oxide layer, the concentration of carbon is less than 0.1 atomic percent. 
   
   
       4 . The structure of  claim 1  wherein the thickness of the oxide layer is in the range of about 1 to 100 Angstroms. 
   
   
       5 . The structure of  claim 1  wherein the thickness of the oxide layer is about 20 Angstroms. 
   
   
       6 . The structure of  claim 1  wherein in the graded transition layer, there are no peaks in the carbon concentration. 
   
   
       7 . The structure of  claim 1  wherein in the graded transition layer, there are no dips in the oxygen concentration. 
   
   
       8 . The structure of  claim 1  wherein in thickness of the graded transition layer is in the range of from 50 to 300 Angstroms. 
   
   
       9 . An electronic structure comprising:
 a substrate having a layer of dielectric material;   a plurality of copper damascene conductors within said layer of dielectric material, wherein said dielectric material includes:
 a layer of oxide on the layer of dielectric material, the oxide layer having essentially no carbon; 
 a graded transition layer on the oxide layer, the graded transition layer having essentially no carbon at the interface with the oxide layer and gradually increasing carbon towards a porous SiCOH layer; and 
 a porous SiCOH (pSiCOH) layer on the graded transition layer, the porous pSiCOH layer having an homogeneous composition throughout the layer.