The present invention pertains to a processing method to produce a porous polymer film that consists of sp²C—X and HC-sp³C—X bonds (wherein, XH or F), and exhibits at least a crystal melting temperature, ("T_m"). The porous polymer films produced by this invention are useful for fabricating future integrated circuits ("IC's"). The method described herein is useful for preparing the porous polymer films by polymerizing reactive intermediates, formed from a first-precursor, with a low feed rate and at temperatures equal to or below a melting temperature of intermediate (T¹_m). Second-precursors that do not become reactive intermediates or have an incomplete conversion to reactive intermediates are also transported to a deposition chamber and become an inclusion of the deposited film. By utilizing a subsequent in-situ, post treatment process the inclusions in the deposited film can be removed to leave micro-pores in the resultant film. Annealing methods are used herein to stabilize the polymer films after reactive plasma etching. Furthermore, the present invention pertains to employment of reductive plasma conditions for patterning polymer films that consist of sp²C—X and HC-sp³C—X bonds (wherein, XH, F).