Low dielectric constant porous materials with improved elastic modulus and hardness.
The process of making such porous materials involves providing a porous dielectric
material and plasma curing the porous dielectric material to produce a plasma cured
porous dielectric material. Plasma curing of the porous dielectric material yields
a material with improved modulus and hardness. The improvement in elastic modulus
is typically greater than or about 50%, more typically greater than or about 100%,
and more typically greater than or about 200%. The improvement in hardness is typically
greater than or about 50%. The plasma cured porous dielectric material can optionally
be post-plasma treated. The post-plasma treatment of the plasma cured porous dielectric
material reduces the dielectric constant of the material while maintaining an improved
elastic modulus and hardness as compared to the plasma cured porous dielectric
material. The post-plasma treated, plasma cured porous dielectric material has
a dielectric constant between about 1.1 and about 3.5 and an improved elastic modulus
and hardness.
