Patent US6716767B2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6716767B2
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Contact planarization materials that generate no volatile byproducts or residue during curing
Assignee: Brewer Science Inc
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Filing: 2002-10-28
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Granted: 2004-04-06
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Expires: 2022-10-28
Abstract
Abstract The present invention is directed towards planarization materials that produce little or no volatile byproducts during the hardening process when used in contact planarization processes. The materials can be hardened by photo-irradiation or by heat during the planarization process, and they include one or more types of monomers, oligomers, or mixtures thereof, an optional cross-linker, and an optional organic reactive solvents. The solvent, if used, is chemically reacted with the monomers or oligomers and thus becomes part of the polymer matrix during the curing process. These materials can be used for damascene, dual damascene, bi-layer, and multi-layer applications, microelectromechanical system (MEMS), packaging, optical devices, photonics, optoelectronics, microelectronics, and sensor devices fabrication.
Inventors
- 👤 Wu-Sheng Shih
- 👤 James E. Lamb, III
- 👤 Mark Daffron
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 18:40
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P14/00; H10P14/60; B; B81; B81C; B81C1/00; B81C1/00436; B81C1/00444; B81C1/0046; B81C1/00555; B81C1/00611; C; C08; C08G; C08G59/00; C08G59/18; C08G59/68; C08L; C08L63/00; H10P14/40; H10P14/65; H10P14/6516; H10P14/6536; H10P14/6538; H10P14/68; H10P14/683; H10P95/00; H10P95/06; B81C2201/00; B81C2201/01; B81C2201/0101; B81C2201/0118; B81C2201/0119; H10P14/63; H10P14/6326; H10P14/6342; H10P14/69; H10P14/692; H10P14/6921; H10P14/6922
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 35
Claim 1
Independent Claim
86 words
A method of forming a microelectronic precursor, said method comprising the steps of: providing a substrate having a surface and including a plurality of topography features on said surface; forming a planarizing layer on said surface, wherein said planarizing layer comprises: a monomer, an oligomer, or a mixture of a monomer and an oligomer; and a reactive solvent; contacting the planarizing layer with a flat surface of an object for sufficient time and pressure to transfer the flatness of the flat surface to the planarizing layer.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
86 words
A method of forming a microelectronic precursor, said method comprising the steps of: providing a substrate having a surface and including a plurality of topography features on said surface; forming a planarizing layer on said surface, wherein said planarizing layer comprises: a monomer, an oligomer, or a mixture of a monomer and an oligomer; and a reactive solvent; contacting the planarizing layer with a flat surface of an object for sufficient time and pressure to transfer the flatness of the flat surface to the planarizing layer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 1 , said planarizing layer further comprising an ingredient selected from the group consisting of acids, acid generators, surfactants, and photo-initiators.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 2 , wherein said ingredient is a photoacid generator.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said planarizing layer consists essentially of: a monomer, an oligomer, or a mixture of a monomer and an oligomer; a reactive solvent; and an acid or an acid generator.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said monomer or oligomer is selected from the group consisting of epoxies, novolac epoxies, acrylates, novolac epoxy acrylates, vinyl ethers, novolac epoxy vinyl ethers, and monomers and oligomers comprising vinyl groups, and mixtures of the foregoing.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said reactive solvent is propylene carbonate, glycidyl ethers, vinyl ethers, allyl ethers, acrylates, and mixtures of the foregoing.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said planarizing layer comprises less than about 5% by weight of non-reactive solvent, based upon the total weight of the planarizing layer taken as 100% by weight.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 1 , further including the step of substantially curing said planarizing layer.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 8 , wherein said curing step comprises subjecting said planarizing layer to UV light for sufficient time to substantially cure said composition.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 8 , wherein said curing step causes said monomer, oligomer, or mixture of a monomer and an oligomer to react with said reactive solvent so as to substantially consume said reactive solvent.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 8 , wherein said microelectronic precursor resulting from said curing step comprises a cured planarizing layer, and said cured planarizing layer comprises less than about 1% voids.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said providing, forming, and contacting steps are carried out under ambient pressures.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said providing, forming, and contacting steps are carried out under vacuum.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said contacting step is carried out with a pressure of from about 5-200 psi.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said contacting step is carried out at a temperature of from about 18-400° C.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said contacting step is carried out for a time period of from about 1 second to about 10 minutes.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
78 words
A precursor structure formed by: providing a substrate having a surface and including a plurality of topography features on said surface; forming a planarizing layer on said surface, wherein said planarizing layer comprises: a monomer, an oligomer, or a mixture of a monomer and an oligomer; and a reactive solvent; contacting the planarizing layer with a flat surface of an object for sufficient time and pressure to transfer the flatness of the flat surface to the planarizing layer.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
78 words
A precursor structure formed by: providing a substrate having a surface and including a plurality of topography features on said surface; forming a planarizing layer on said surface, wherein said planarizing layer comprises: a monomer, an oligomer, or a mixture of a monomer and an oligomer; and a reactive solvent; contacting the planarizing layer with a flat surface of an object for sufficient time and pressure to transfer the flatness of the flat surface to the planarizing layer.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
26 words
The precursor structure of claim 17 , said planarizing layer further comprising an ingredient selected from the group consisting of acids, acid generators, surfactants, and photo-initiators.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
45 words
The precursor structure of claim 17 , wherein said planarizing layer consists essentially of: a monomer, an oligomer, or a mixture of monomers and oligomers; a reactive solvent; and an ingredient selected from the group consisting of an acid, an acid generator, and a photo-initiator.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
35 words
The precursor structure of claim 17 , wherein said planarizing layer comprises less than about 5% by weight of non-reactive solvent, based upon the total weight of the planarizing layer taken as 100% by weight.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
17 words
The precursor structure of claim 17 , further including the step of substantially curing said planarizing layer.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
32 words
The precursor structure of claim 21 , wherein said microelectronic precursor resulting from said curing step comprises a cured planarizing layer, and said cured planarizing layer comprises less than about 1% voids.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
20 words
The precursor structure of claim 17 , wherein said providing, forming, and contacting steps are carried out under ambient pressures.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
19 words
The precursor structure of claim 17 , wherein said providing, forming, and contacting steps are carried out under vacuum.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
84 words
A method of forming a microelectronic precursor, said method comprising the steps of: providing a substrate having a surface and including a plurality of topography features on said surface; forming a planarizing layer on said surface; contacting the planarizing layer with a flat surface of an object for sufficient time and pressure to transfer the flatness of the flat surface to the planarizing layer; curing said planarizing layer after or during said contacting step, said cured planarizing layer comprising less than about 1% voids.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
84 words
A method of forming a microelectronic precursor, said method comprising the steps of: providing a substrate having a surface and including a plurality of topography features on said surface; forming a planarizing layer on said surface; contacting the planarizing layer with a flat surface of an object for sufficient time and pressure to transfer the flatness of the flat surface to the planarizing layer; curing said planarizing layer after or during said contacting step, said cured planarizing layer comprising less than about 1% voids.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 25 , wherein said providing, forming, and contacting steps are carried out under ambient pressures.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 25 , wherein said providing, forming, and contacting steps are carried out under vacuum.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 25 , wherein said contacting step is carried out at a temperature of from about 18-400° C.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 25 , wherein said contacting step is carried out for a time period of from about 1 second to about 10 minutes.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
51 words
The combination of: a microelectronic substrate having a surface and a plurality of topography features on said surface; and a cured planarizing layer on said surface, said cured planarizing layer having a substantially planar surface remote from said substrate surface, and said cured planarizing layer comprising less than about 1% voids.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
51 words
The combination of: a microelectronic substrate having a surface and a plurality of topography features on said surface; and a cured planarizing layer on said surface, said cured planarizing layer having a substantially planar surface remote from said substrate surface, and said cured planarizing layer comprising less than about 1% voids.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
38 words
The combination of claim 30 , wherein said substrate is selected from the group consisting of silicon wafers, compound semiconductor wafers, glass substrates, quartz substrates, organic polymers, dielectric substrates, metals, alloys, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, sapphire, and ceramics.
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