Ultra Low‐<i>k</i> Films Derived from Hyperbranched Polycarbosilanes (HBPCS)

Abstract

Abstract Dense and porous hyperbranched carbosiloxane thin films (HBCSO) are obtained by sol–gel processing using methylene‐bridged hyperbranched polycarbosilanes (HBPCSs) with the general compositional formula {(OMe) 2 Si(CH 2 )}. Introduction of porosity is achieved using a porogen templating approach, allowing the control of the films' dielectric constant from 2.9 to as low as 1.8. Over the entire dielectric range, the HBCSO films exhibit exceptional mechanical properties, 2–3 times superior to those obtained for non‐alkylene bridged organosiloxanes such as methylsilsesquioxanes (MSSQs) of similar densities and k ‐values.