The search for low-/spl epsi/ and ultra-low-/spl epsi/ dielectrics: how far can you get with polymers? Part 1: Background

The need for continuing miniaturization of the structures on microchips has always resulted in new challenges concerning material properties. One important issue is the necessity to use insulating materials with a dielectric constant below 2.5 and even below 2 in future chip generations. This article describes the basic requirements for the next generation of on-chip insulating materials (called interlayer dielectrics, ILD, or intermetal dielectrics, IMD) as well as the general approaches to adjust the material properties available for materials deposited from the gas phase and from solution.