November 28, 2003 – International Sematech, Austin, TX, has qualified an ultra-low-k material for dual damascene copper processing at 0.13-micron features, using 193nm lithography on 300mm wafers.
The porous methylsilsesquioxane (MSQ) film is comprised of silicon-oxygen and hydrocarbons with a k-value of 2.5, compared with current materials that have k-values between 2.65-3.0 (ideal low-k in a vacuum is 1.0).
Josh Wolf, ISMT engineering manager, said identification of the material took seven months through four projects in ISMT’s interconnect division, and that it could be ready for commercial use in two to five years.