Coatings and Hard Mask Compositions for Integrated Circuit Applications, Methods of Production and Uses Thereof

Abstract

A coating material is described herein that includes at least one inorganic compound, and at least one densifying agent, wherein the densifying agent increases the density of the coating material as compared to the density of the at least one inorganic compound. A method of producing a coating material is described herein that includes: providing at least one inorganic compound, providing at least one densifying agent, combining the at least one inorganic compound with the at least one densifying agent to form the coating material, wherein the densifying agent increases the density of the coating material as compared to the density of the at least one inorganic compound.

1 - 51 . (canceled) 
     
     
         52 . A coating material formed from constituents, the constituents comprising:
 at least one inorganic compound;   at least one solvent; and   at least one density-tuning agent.   
     
     
         53 . The coating material of  claim 52 , wherein the at least one solvent comprises at least one alcohol, at least one ketone, propylene glycol methyl ether acetate, at least one ether, water or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         54 . The coating material of  claim 52 , wherein the at least one alcohol comprises ethanol, iso-butyl alcohol, n-propoxy propanol, cyclopentanol, iso-amyl alcohol, t-amyl alcohol, 1-octanol, 1-methoxy-2-propanol, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         55 . The coating material of  claim 52 , wherein the at least one density-tuning agent comprises at least one base or amine. 
     
     
         56 . The coating material of  claim 52 , wherein the at least one density-tuning agent comprises γ-aminoalkyltrialkoxysilanes, nitrogen-based salts of those silanes or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         57 . The coating material of  claim 52 , wherein the at least one density-tuning agent comprises γ-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTEOS), APTEOS-nitrate, water, at least one oxide, at least one alkoxide, at least one hydrogen halide, acetic acid, sulfuric acid, lactic acid, nitric acid, TMAH, tetra-methyl ammonium acetate (TMAA), tetra-methyl ammonium nitrate (TMAN), an amine-based oligomers or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         58 . The coating material of  claim 52 , wherein the at least one density-tuning agent comprises at least one sodium alkoxide, at least one potassium alkoxide, potassium hydroxide or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         59 . The coating material of  claim 52 , wherein the at least one density-tuning agent comprises hydrogen bromide, hydrochloric acid or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         60 . The coating material of  claim 57 , wherein the at least one density-tuning agent comprises TMAH, TMAA, TMAN or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         61 . The coating material of  claim 52 , wherein the material is a film. 
     
     
         62 . The film of  claim 61 , wherein the refractive index of the film is higher than the refractive index of a film formed from a coating material that consists of the at least one inorganic compound and the at least one solvent. 
     
     
         63 . The film of  claim 61 , wherein the density of the film is higher than the density of a film formed from a coating material that consists of the at least one inorganic compound and at the least one solvent. 
     
     
         64 . The film of  claim 61 , wherein the wet etch rate in dilute HF of the film is lower than the wet etch rate in dilute HF of a film formed from a coating material that consists of the at least one inorganic compound and at the least one solvent.