Solution and solid-state NMR characterization of ethylene oxide-propylene oxide composites for ultra-low dielectric constant applications

High-resolution proton and silicon NMR has been used to study structure formation in solution mixtures of ethylene oxide/propylene oxide triblock copolymers and methyl silsesquioxane. These mixtures are precursors to ultra low dielectric constant films used in the fabrication of integrated circuits. The solution NMR results show that micelle formation is suppressed during solvent casting and curing of the films, and that miscibility is enhanced by the interactions of both the ethylene oxide and propylene oxide blocks of the triblock copolymer with the methyl silsesquioxane matrix.