Influence of double bonds and cyclic structure on the AP-PECVD of low-k organosilicon insulating layers

The influence of the monomer's structure on the growth mechanisms and performances of low dielectric constant insulating thin films elaborated from the atmospheric-pressure plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition reaction of three different tetrasiloxane compounds is elucidated. The presence of vinyl bonds enables free-radical polymerisation and surface reaction pathways, which is strongly favoured from the combination of ultrashort plasma pulses (ca. 100 ns), as polymerisation initiator, with long plasma off-times (10 ms) to yield the formation of atomically smooth thin films with excellent insulating properties (in the range of 10(-7) A.cm(-2)).

Automated summary

The study reveals that the structure of the monomer affects the growth mechanisms and performance of thin films prepared from different tetrasiloxane compounds. The presence of vinyl bonds enables free-radical polymerization and surface reaction pathways, leading to the formation of atomically smooth thin films with excellent insulating properties under specific plasma conditions.