Reliability and performance limiting defects in low-к dielectrics for use as interlayer dielectrics

Reliability issues of low-κ dielectric thin films are important problems in present day ULSI development. Leakage currents in general as well as reliability issues such as time dependent dielectric breakdown (TDDM) and stress induced leakage currents (SILC) are critical problems that are not yet well understood. A topic of current interest is ultraviolet light curing (UV curing) of low-k materials. An atomic scale understanding of the defects involved in reliability problems of these films is virtually non-existent. We have initiated a study utilizing electron spin resonance (ESR) and electrical measurements which provides some fundamental understanding of the deep level defects likely involved in these reliability problems.