Hot-wire chemical vapor deposition (HWCVD) of fluorocarbon and organosilicon thin films

HWCVD affords the capability to synthesize fluorocarbon and organosilicon t hin films. These two classes of materials are of interest for a wide range of applications, including low dielectric constant coatings for microelectr onic interconnection, 'dry' photoresists. directly patternable dielectrics for lithographic production of integrated circuits, insulating biomaterials for implantable devices with complex topologies and small dimensions, low friction coatings, and semipermeable membranes. HWCVD from hexafluoropropyl ene oxide (C3F6O) dramatically reduces cross-link and defect concentrations in fluorocarbon coatings, producing films which are spectroscopically indi stinguishable from bulk polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE, Teflon (TM)). Organo silicon films can be deposited from cyclic precursors such as octamethylcyc lotetrasiloxane (D-4) at extremely high rates (>2 mum/min) by HWCVD. The bo nding structure of HWCVD organosilicon films is substantially different fro m both their plasma enhanced CVD (PECVD) counterparts and bulk siloxane pol ymers, such as poly (dimethysiloxane) (PDMS). (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V . All rights reserved.