Relationship between C=C Bonds and Mechanical Properties of Carbon Rich Low-k Films deposited by Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition

Abstract

We have studied the relationship between C=C bonds and the mechanical properties of different low- k films deposited by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) using a p-xylene and/or hexamethyldisilane (HMDS) precursor. The three types of films were called plasma polymerized p-xylene (PPpX) using p-xylene only, plasma polymerized p-xylene:hexamethyldisilane (PPpX:HMDS) using a mixture of p-xylene and HMDS, and plasma polymerized hexamethyldisilane (PPHMDS) using HMDS only as precursors. The mechanical strengths such as Young's modulus and hardness decreased as a function of annealing temperature, while C=C bonds increased in number. We suggest that the mechanical properties of low- k films containing a large amount of C and small amounts of Si and/or O are closely related to the generation of C=C bonds in the films after annealing, and not to the decrease in the film density. This was investigated by Fourier transform Raman (FT-Raman) spectroscopy.