Integration and electrical characterization of photosensitive polyimide

A base line process of photosensitive polyimide was developed to significan tly reduce cycle time in backend polyimide processes as compared to the use of conventional nonphotosensitive polyimide. A 6 mum resolution was obtain ed by the use of a wet etch process of photosensitive polyimide (PSPI) in a queous tetramethylammonium hydroxide developer. The feasibility of the poly imide as a passivation stress-buffer layer and passivation-etch mask was al so demonstrated. Electrical characterization was performed to measure the s urface resistance and the intralevel leakage current along the interface be tween the polyimide and tetraethyloahosilicate. These findings suggested th at reduction of the moisture content of the polymer films is critical to en sure electrical isolation during the integration of PSPI into multilevel st ructures. (C) 2001 American Vacuum Society.