Method for the quantification of hydrophilic properties of porous materials

摘要

The present invention provides a method for the quantification of hydrophilic/hydrophobic properties of a porous material, e.g. a low-k material having pores. The method according to the invention makes use of adsorption/desorption characteristics within the pores of the porous material by using a first and second adsorptive or gaseous substance with different wetting angle towards the porous material. According to the invention, the method comprises at least two ellipsometric measurements each using a different adsorptive substance. Most preferred the first adsorptive may be an adsorptive with a contact or wetting angle towards the porous material substantially equal to zero and most preferred the second adsorptive may be an adsorptive with non-zero contact or wetting angle towards the porous material, the second adsorptive comprising polar molecules. The adsorption/desorption isotherms obtained with water as adsorptive make it also possible to determine the amount of water adsorbed in the low-k film. The method according to the invention may be used for determining the depth of damage, caused by etching and/or stripping processes, within a porous material