Insulating materials

Details Insulating materials Insulating materials

1997-10-09

2001-12-25

Williams, Alexander Oscar (Department: 2826)

Active solid-state devices (e.g., transistors, solid-state diode

Combined with electrical contact or lead

Of specified material other than unalloyed aluminum

C257S632000, C257S537000, C257S642000, C257S643000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06333556

ABSTRACT:

TECHNICAL FIELD
The invention pertains to methods of forming material adjacent electrical components and to methods of forming material between conductive electrical components. The invention further pertains to insulating materials formed adjacent or between conductive electrical components.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A prior art semiconductor wafer fragment
10
is illustrated in FIG.
1
. Wafer fragment
10
comprises a substrate
12
and conductive electrical components
14
,
16
and
18
overlying substrate
12
. Conductive electrical components
14
,
16
and
18
may comprise, for example, conductive lines. Such conductive lines may be formed from metal, or conductively-doped polysilicon. Between conductive components
14
,
16
and
18
is formed an insulative material
20
. Material
20
electrically isolates conductive elements
14
,
16
and
18
from one another. Insulative material
20
may comprise materials known to persons of ordinary skill in the art, including, for example, silicon dioxide, silicon nitride, and undoped silicon. Although each of these materials has good insulative properties, the materials disadvantageously have high dielectric constants which can lead to capacitive coupling between proximate conductive elements, such as elements
14
,
16
and
18
. For instance, silicon nitride has a dielectric constant of about 8 and undoped silicon has a dielectric constant of about 11.8.
A prior art method for insulating conductive elements
14
,
16
and
18
from one another, while reducing a dielectric constant of a material between conductive elements
14
,
16
and
18
is illustrated in
FIGS. 2 and 3
. In referring to
FIGS. 2 and 3
, similar numbers to those utilized in
FIG. 1
will be used, with differences indicated by the suffix “a” or by different numerals.
Referring to
FIG. 2
, a semiconductor wafer fragment
10
a
is illustrated. Fragment
10
a
comprises a substrate
12
a
, and overlying conductive lines
14
a
,
16
a
and
18
a
. Between lines
14
a
,
16
a
and
18
a
is a carbon layer
22
. Conductive lines
14
a
,
16
a
and
18
a
are inlaid within carbon layer
22
by a damascene method. A thin, gas-permeable, silicon dioxide layer
24
is formed over conductive lines
14
a
,
16
a
and
18
a
, and over carbon layer
22
.
Referring to
FIG. 3
, carbon layer
22
is vaporized to form voids
26
between conductive elements
14
a
,
16
a
and
18
a
. Voids
26
contain a gas. Gasses advantageously have dielectric constants of about 1.
It would be desirable to develop alternative methods for insulating conductive elements from one another with low-dielectric-constant materials.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention encompasses methods of forming insulating materials between conductive elements. The invention pertains particularly to methods utilizing low-dielectric-constant materials for insulating conductive elements, and to structures encompassing low-dielectric-constant materials adjacent or between conductive elements.
In one aspect, the invention encompasses a method of forming a material adjacent a conductive electrical component. The method includes providing a mass adjacent the conductive electrical component and partially vaporizing the mass to form a matrix adjacent the conductive electrical component. The matrix can have at least one void within it.
In another aspect, the invention encompasses a method of forming a material adjacent a conductive electrical component which includes providing a mass comprising polyimide or photoresist adjacent the conductive electrical component. The method further includes at least partially vaporizing the mass.
In another aspect, the invention encompasses a method of forming a material between a pair of conductive electrical components. The method includes forming at least one support member between the pair of conductive electrical components. The method further includes providing a mass between the at least one support member and each of the pair of conductive electrical components. Additionally, the method includes vaporizing the mass to a degree effective to form at least one void between the support member and each of the pair of conductive electrical components.
In yet another aspect, the invention encompasses an insulating material adjacent a conductive electrical component. The insulating material comprises a matrix and at least one void within the matrix.
In yet another aspect, the invention encompasses an insulating region between a pair of conductive electrical components. The insulating region comprises a support member between the conductive electrical components, the support member not comprising a conductive interconnect. The insulating region further comprises at least one void between the support member and each of the pair of conductive electrical components.


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