Hydrofluoric-acid-resistant and hydrophobic pure-silica-zeolite MEL low-dielectric-constant films

Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Jet-Assisted Synthesis of Zeolite-Based Low-k Thin Films

Zeolites are ideal low-dielectric constant (low-k) materials. This paper reports on a novel plasma-assisted approach to the synthesis of low-k thin films comprising pure-silica zeolite MFI. The proposed method involves treating the aged solution using an atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ). The high reactivity of the resulting nitrogen plasma helps to produce zeolite crystals with high crystallinity and uniform crystal size distribution. The APPJ treatment also remarkably reduces the time for hydrothermal reaction. The zeolite MFI suspensions synthesized with the APPJ treatment are used for the wet deposition to form thin films. The deposited zeolite thin films possessed dense morphology and high crystallinity, which overcome the trade-off between crystallinity and film quality. Zeolite thin films synthesized using the proposed APPJ treatment achieve low leakage current (on the order of 10^-8 A/cm²) and high Young's modulus (12 GPa), outperforming the control sample synthesized without plasma treatment. The dielectric constant of our zeolite thin films was as low as 1.41. The overall performance of the low-k thin films synthesized with the APPJ treatment far exceed existing low-k films comprising pure-silica MFI.

Relationships between the solution and solid-state properties of solution-cast low-k silica thin films

This paper reports on the fabrication of low-k (amorphous) silica thin films cast from solutions without and with two different types of surfactants (TWEEN® 80 and Triton™ X-100) to elucidate the relationships between the structural/morphological features of the casting solutions and the physical properties of the resulting thin films. Cryogenic transmission microscopy (cryo-TEM), static/dynamic light scattering (SLS/DLS), and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) revealed contrasting colloidal dispersion states and phase behavior among the three casting solutions. Casting solution with the Triton™ X-100 surfactant produced stable (>90 days) nanoparticles with good dispersion in solution (mean particle size ∼10 nm) as well as good mesopore volume (characterized by nitrogen physisorption) in powder and thin films of high mechanical strength (characterized by the nanoindentation test). The longer main chain and bulkier side units of the TWEEN® 80 surfactant led to stable micelle-nanoparticle coexisting dispersion, which resulted in the highest mesopore volume in powder and thin films with the lowest dielectric constant (∼3) among the samples in this study. The casting solution without the surfactant failed to produce a stabilized solution or thin films of acceptable uniformity. These findings demonstrate the possibility of fine-tuning low-k silica film properties by controlling the colloidal state of casting solutions.

Insight into on-wafer crystallization of pure-silica-zeolite films through nutrient replenishment

Tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) is added to a pure-silica-zeolite MEL nanoparticle suspension and the mixture is subsequently used for preparing spin-on low-dielectric constant (low-k) films. The films are then characterized by ellipsometric porosimetry, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and nanoindentation. Investigation into the film microstructure indicates that the addition of TEOS significantly increases the fraction of the crystalline domains, decreases the inter-crystal mesopore size, and narrows the pore size distribution. Films with 12% TEOS loading have a mean pore size distribution centered at 3.5 nm (diameter) with a full width at half maximum (fwhm) of 0.8 nm, while those with no TEOS have a distribution at 11.1 nm and fwhm of 7.9 nm. At 12% TEOS loading, the reduced modulus and hardness are 11.0 and 1.12 GPa, respectively; without TEOS, the values are 6.4 and 0.57 GPa.

Simple synthetic route for SERS-active gold nanoparticles substrate with controlled shape and organization

We report a simple synthetic route based on electroless deposition (galvanic displacement) and natural lithography to simultaneously control the shape and organization of Au nanoparticles (NPs). We show for the first time the formation of organized extended domains of Au nanoflowers and nanocrowns with single crystalline tips. The dimension and morphology of the desired nanostructures (NSs) can be tuned easily by controlling the deposition conditions at room temperature using saccharin as an organic additive. The exact role of saccharin on the crystal growth process of Au NPs is also discussed. A systematic surface enhancement Raman spectroscopy (SERS) study of large, ordered areas of organized gold nanoflowers using p-mercaptoaniline (pMA) as the probe molecule shows massive and reproducible enhancements of the Raman signal. By comparing the relative enhancement of the different vibrational modes as a function of the morphology, the specific charge-transfer (chemical effect) SERS mechanism can be distinguished from the general electromagnetic field enhancement (physical effect). A wide range of applications can be envisaged for these SERS substrates.

Zeolite thin films: from computer chips to space stations

Zeolites are a class of crystalline oxides that have uniform and molecular-sized pores (3-12 A in diameter). Although natural zeolites were first discovered in 1756, significant commercial development did not begin until the 1950s when synthetic zeolites with high purity and controlled chemical composition became available. Since then, major commercial applications of zeolites have been limited to catalysis, adsorption, and ion exchange, all using zeolites in powder form. Although researchers have widely investigated zeolite thin films within the last 15 years, most of these studies were motivated by the potential application of these materials as separation membranes and membrane reactors. In the last decade, we have recognized and demonstrated that zeolite thin films can have new, diverse, and economically significant applications that others had not previously considered. In this Account, we highlight our work on the development of zeolite thin films as low-dielectric constant (low-k) insulators for future generation computer chips, environmentally benign corrosion-resistant coatings for aerospace alloys, and hydrophilic and microbiocidal coatings for gravity-independent water separation in space stations. Although these three applications might not seem directly related, they all rely on the ability to fine-tune important macroscopic properties of zeolites by changing their ratio of silicon to aluminum. For example, pure-silica zeolites (PSZs, Si/Al = infinity) are hydrophobic, acid stable, and have no ion exchange capacity, while low-silica zeolites (LSZs, Si/Al < 2) are hydrophilic, acid soluble, and have a high ion exchange capacity. These new thin films also take advantage of some unique properties of zeolites that have not been exploited before, such as a higher elastic modulus, hardness, and heat conductivity than those of amorphous porous silicas, and microbiocidal capabilities derived from their ion exchange capacities. Finally, we briefly discuss our more recent work on polycrystalline zeolite thin films as promising biocompatible coatings and environmentally benign wear-resistant and antifouling coatings. When zeolites are incorporated into polymer thin films in the form of nanocrystals, we also show that the resultant composite membranes can significantly improve the performance of reverse osmosis membranes for sea water desalination and proton exchange membrane fuel cells. These diverse applications of zeolites have the potential to initiate new industries while revolutionizing existing ones with a potential economic impact that could extend into the hundreds of billions of dollars. We have licensed several of these inventions to companies with millions of dollars invested in their commercial development. We expect that other related technologies will be licensed in the near future.