Published online by Cambridge University Press: 30 July 2012
In this work a new generation of periodic mesoporous organosilica (PMO) low-k dielectrics with targeted k-values 2.0 and 1.8 is evaluated. In addition, impact of two different curing processes on properties of the mesoporous material is analyzed. It is shown that removal of templating organics with thermal annealing leads to formation of mechanically robust and chemically very stable material, while application of UV-assisted curing with broadband lamp (λ > 200 nm) causes pronounced decrease of film ability to sustain in diluted HF solution. The explanation of that phenomenon is given in terms of silica-ring structures formed within organosilica skeleton.