Patent ID: 7678712

Claim:
A method for treating a silicate or organosilicate dielectric film on a substrate, which silicate or organosilicate dielectric film either comprises silanol moieties or which silicate or organosilicate dielectric film has had at least some previously present carbon containing moieties removed therefrom, the method comprising: (a) optionally dehydrating at least a portion of a silicate or organosilicate dielectric film on a substrate; then (b) optionally applying an activating agent for a surface modification agent composition to the silicate or organosilicate dielectric film; then (c) contacting the silicate or organosilicate dielectric film with a surface modification agent composition in a vapor or gaseous state, wherein the surface modification agent composition comprises a component capable of alkylating or arylating silanol moieties or bonds created by removal of carbon containing moieties from the silicate or organosilicate dielectric film via silylation; wherein the surface modification agent composition comprises at least one compound having a formula selected from the group consisting of [—SiR 2 NR′—] n where n>2 and may be cyclic; R 3 SiNR′SiR 3 , (R 3 Si) 3 N; R 3 SiNR′ 2 ; R 2 Si(NR′ 2 ) 2 ; RSi(NR′ 2 ) 3 ; R x Si[OC(R′)═R″] 4-x , R x Si(NCOR 2 ) 4-x , R x Si(NCO) 4-x , R x Si(OH 2 ) 4-x , and combinations thereof, wherein x is an integer ranging from 1 to 3, each R is independently selected from hydrogen and a hydrophobic organic moiety; R′ is hydrogen, or an organic moiety, and R″ is an alkyl or carbonyl group; and wherein the surface modification agent composition further comprises an activating agent selected from the group consisting of ammonium compounds, phosphonium compounds, sulfonium compounds, iodonium compounds, alkyl amines, aryl amines, alcohol amines, primary amines, secondary amines, tertiary amines, ammonia, quaternary ammonium salts, tetramethylammonium acetate, tetrabutylammonium acetate, a combinations of tetramethylammonium acetate and tetrabutylammonium acetate, sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide lithium hydroxide and ammonium hydroxide; said contacting being conducted under conditions sufficient to (i) or (ii) or (iii): (i) add carbon containing moieties to the silicate or organosilicate dielectric film, or (ii) seal surface pores of the silicate or organosilicate dielectric film, when the film is porous; or (iii) where the film is porous, first add carbon containing moieties to the silicate or organosilicate dielectric film, and then subsequently seal surface pores of the silicate or organosilicate dielectric film.