Film thickness topography

Figure 6-14. Average domain size vs. inverse deposition temperature Tor different film thicknesses. Error bars represent the mean absolute error and straight lines the best lit for each film thickness. Doited line is the locus of the transition from grains to lamellae. Data for 50-nm films are estimated from the correlation length of the topography fluctuations. Adapted from Ref. [501.

The Influence of the PFAM Concentration on the Film Thickness, the Water Contact Angle, and the Surface Topography... 

It can be concluded that the concentrations of the PFAM solution is an important factor for the PFAM film formed on the slider surface to affect the stiction and friction in the CSS tests. If the concentration is controlled around 500 ppm, an ideal surface topography, good hydrophobic nature, a preferred film thickness, and better frictional and anti-wear properties can be obtained. 

The chain architecture and chemical structure could be modified by SCVCP leading to a facile, one-pot synthesis of surface-grafted branched polymers. The copolymerization gave an intermediate surface topography and film thickness between the polymer protrusions obtained from SCVP of an AB inimer and the polymer brushes obtained by ATRP of a conventional monomer. The difference in the Br content at the surface between hyperbranched, branched, and linear polymers was confirmed by XPS, suggesting the feasibility to control the surface chemical functionality. The principal result of the works is a demonstration of utility of the surface-initiated SCVP via ATRP to prepare surface-grafted hyperbranched and branched polymers with characteristic architecture and topography. 

Controlling the substrate physical constraints (topography) and thus the film thickness... 

Figure 3.18. Thin TTF-TCNQ film (thickness 1 um) HV-grown on a KCl(lOO) substrate, (a) Topography and (b) amplitude TMAFM images. The scale is 5 p.m x 5 ]xm. (c) FTIR spectra of the CN stretching mode in neutral TCNQ (powder) and in a TTF-TCNQ thin film (thickness 1 um) HV-grown on KBr(lOO). Reprinted from Surface Science, Vol. 482 85, C. Rojas, J. Caro, M. Grioni and J. Fraxedas, Surface characterization of metallic molecular organic thin films tetrathiaful-valene tetracyanoquinodimethane, 546-551, Copyright (2001), with permission from Elsevier.

Polyimide surface modification by a wet chemical process is described. Poly(pyromellitic dianhydride-oxydianiline) (PMDA-ODA) and poly(bisphenyl dianhydride-para-phenylenediamine) (BPDA-PDA) polyimide film surfaces are initially modified with KOH aqueous solution. These modified surfaces are further treated with aqueous HC1 solution to protonate the ionic molecules. Modified surfaces are identified with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), external reflectance infrared (ER IR) spectroscopy, gravimetric analysis, contact angle and thickness measurement. Initial reaction with KOH transforms the polyimide surface to a potassium polyamate surface. The reaction of the polyamate surface with HC1 yields a polyamic acid surface. Upon curing the modified surface, the starting polyimide surface is produced. The depth of modification, which is measured by a method using an absorbance-thickness relationship established with ellipsometry and ER IR, is controlled by the KOH reaction temperature and the reaction time. Surface topography and film thickness can be maintained while a strong polyimide-polyimide adhesion is achieved. Relationship between surface structure and adhesion is discussed. 

We are interested in measuring the modification depth for the samples treated with 1 M KOH aqueous solution at 22 °C for 10 min since surface topography and film thickness remain unchanged under these reaction conditions. The modified layer is thicker than the XPS sampling depth (approximately 100 A) since the XPS spectrum only displays the peaks due to the product. The RBS spectrum does not give a peak corresponding to potassium, so the modified layer is probably thinner than the limit of RBS sensitivity (approximately 300 A). These results indicate that the modification depth is in the range of 100-300 A which is an inaccessible zone for thickness measurement with usual techniques. 

Polyimide surface modification with KOH or NaOH aqueous solution is well defined. The reaction initially gives potassium or sodium polyamate which is then protonated with acid to yield polyamic acid. The outermost layer (5 A) of PMDA-ODA can be completely modified within a minute of reaction in KOH solution. The depth of modification can be measured by a method using an absorbance-thickness relationship established with ellipsometry and external reflectance IR. The modification depth of PMDA-ODA treated with 1 M KOH aqueous solution at 22 °C for 10 min is approximately 230 A. Surface topography and film thickness can be maintained while a strong... 

Instead of observing the change of the morphology as a function of the film thickness, surface boundaries could also be used to control the wetting layer morphology at interfaces, the surface topographies, and the microdomain period [148]. In the case of symmetric or asymmetric wetting of the block copolymer at... 

Thin solid films of polymeric materials used in various microelectronic applications are usually commercially produced the spin coating deposition (SCD) process. This paper reports on a comprehensive theoretical study of the fundamental physical mechanisms of polymer thin film formation onto substrates by the SCD process. A mathematical model was used to predict the film thickness and film thickness uniformity as well as the effects of rheological properties, solvent evaporation, substrate surface topography and planarization phenomena. A theoretical expression is shown to provide a universal dimensionless correlation of dry film thickness data in terms of initial viscosity, angular speed, initial volume dispensed, time and two solvent evaporation parameters. 

Figures 33.13 shows the topography of the two plasma polymer layers deposited under different conditions on a polished iron surface. Both films show a similar topography as observed by atomic force microscopy, but the film deposited on O2 plasma-pretreated polished iron showed a little more grainy surface than (Ar + H2) plasma-pretreated sample. In Figure 33.14 the root mean square value is plotted against the film thickness. The grainy surface (O2 plasma pretreated), which showed a higher deposition rate, increased the roughness as the thickness increased as expected.

Polish Rate Units of (nm/min) or (jim/min). The polish rate is the film thickness removed divided by the polish time. Higher polish rates lead to shorter process times and are thus desirable. However, if the polish rate is too high, the process is difficult to control. Note that the polish rate can be significantly higher for wafers with topography than for unpattemed wafers. This is because the contact area with pad is smaller for wafers with topography. 

In this paper, we report the evolution and quantification of the step-height-reduction-ratio, and subsequently extract the planarization distance for copper CMP for the first time. Conventional profilometry and the InSiteSOO photo-acoustic measurement tool were employed to quantify copper film thickness and topography. The Insite 300 operates upon the transient gradient technique and allows for noncontact, nondestructive metal film thickness measurement [5]. The utility of this metal thickness tool bypasses a number of issues which arise with conventional profilometry. The ability to accurately delineate metal feature edge positions and circumvent stress-induced curvature present in long profilometry scans is of principle importance. 

Spin-on glass (SOG) films are desirable as an interlevel dielectric because of their inherent ability to planarize underlying topography. Depending upon the film thickness obtainable and the material characteristics, SOG films can be utilized either as a stand-alone interlevel Insulation layer or as a smoothing layer in conjunction with conventional CVD dielectric layers. The various schemes possible with the application of SOG films in interlevel insulation are illustrated in Figure 1. 

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