The effects of plasma exposure on the time-dependent dielectric breakdown of low-k porous organosilicate glass

Abstract

Time-dependent dielectric breakdown (TDDB) is a major concern for low-k organosilicate (SiCOH) dielectrics. To examine the effect of plasma exposure on TDDB degradation, time-to-breakdown measurements were made on porous SiCOH before and after exposure to a variety of plasma exposure conditions. A capillary-array window was used to separate charged particle and photon bombardment. Samples exposed to full plasma conditions exhibit significant degradation in breakdown times. However, samples exposed only to VUV photons also show marked TDDB deterioration, suggesting that a confluence of photon and ion damage effects may be responsible for time dependent breakdown.