1. A high-refractive index material comprising at least one
semiconductor nanocrystal composition incorporated in a matrix material, wherein the high-refractive index material has a refractive index greater than 1.5, and wherein the semiconductor nanocrystal composition comprises:
(1) a semiconductor nanocrystal core comprising a II-VI, III-V, or IV-VI semiconductor material, the semiconductor nanocrystal core having an outer surface; and
(2) a metal layer grown on the outer surface of the semiconductor nanocrystal core, the metal layer having an outer surface.
2. The high-refractive index material of claim 1, wherein the high-refractive index material has a refractive index greater than 1.5 at a wavelength of at least about 450 nm.
3. The high-refractive index material of claim 1, wherein the high-refractive index material minimizes optical scattering.
4. The high-refractive index material of claim 1, wherein the high-refractive index material is substantially non-absorbent to light at wavelengths in the range of about 380 nm to about 700 nm.
5. The high-refractive index material of claim 1, wherein the high-refractive index material maintains the refractive index for more than about 5,000 hours.
6. The high-refractive index material of claim 1, wherein the semiconductor nanocrystal composition further comprises a shell layer comprising a semiconductor material grown on the outer surface of the metal layer.
7. The high-refractive index material of claim 1, wherein the semiconductor nanocrystal core comprises a binary semiconductor material.
8. The high-refractive index material of claim 7, wherein the semiconductor nanocrystal core comprises ZnS.
9. The high-refractive index material of claim 1, wherein the matrix material comprises a silicon, an epoxy, or a suitable combination thereof.
10. The high-refractive index material of claim 1, herein the concentration of the semiconductor nanocrystal composition incorporated in the matrix material is up to 90%.
11. A method of making a high-refractive index material, comprising incorporating a plurality of semiconductor nanocrystal compositions in a matrix material, wherein the high-refractive index material has a refractive index greater than 1.5, and wherein the incorporating comprises:
attaching metal chelating groups of ligands surrounding the semiconductor nanocrystal compositions to the surfaces of the semiconductor nanocrystal compositions; and
reacting functional groups of the attached ligands with each other to link the semiconductor nanocrystal compositions together in the matrix material.
12. A method of making a high-refractive index material, comprising incorporating a plurality of semiconductor nanocrystal compositions in a matrix material, wherein the high-refractive index material has a refractive index greater than 1.5 and the incorporating comprises:
attaching metal chelating groups of ligands surrounding the semiconductor nanocrystal compositions to the surfaces of the semiconductor nanocrystal compositions; and
reacting functional groups of the attached ligands with functional groups of bridging molecules to link the semiconductor nanocrystal compositions together in the matrix material.
13. A method of making a high-refractive index material, comprising incorporating a plurality of semiconductor nanocrystal compositions in a matrix material, wherein the high-refractive index material has a refractive index greater than 1.5 and the incorporating comprises:
attaching metal chelating groups of ligands surrounding the semiconductor nanocrystal compositions to the surfaces of the semiconductor nanocrystal compositions; and
reacting functional groups of the attached ligands with functional groups of backbone molecules to link the semiconductor nanocrystal compositions together in the matrix material.
14. A method of making a high-refractive index material comprising: assembling a layer of semiconductor nanocrystal compositions onto a substrate; and sintering the layer to form a cohesive film on the substrate wherein the high-refractive index material has a refractive index greater than 1.5.
15. A method of making a solid-state lighting device, comprising:
(1) incorporating at least one semiconductor nanocrystal compositions in a matrix material to form a high-refractive index material, wherein the high-refractive index material has a refractive index greater than 1.5, and wherein the incorporating comprises:
(a) attaching metal chelating groups of ligands surrounding the semiconductor nanocrystal compositions to the surfaces of the semiconductor nanocrystal compositions, and
(b) reacting functional groups of the attached ligands with each other to link the semiconductor nanocrystal compositions together in the matrix material; and
(2) depositing the high-refractive index material onto the surface of a lighting device.
16. A method of making a solid-state lighting device, comprising:
(1) incorporating at least one semiconductor nanocrystal compositions in a matrix material to form a high-refractive index material, wherein the high-refractive index material has a refractive index greater than 1.5, and wherein the incorporating comprises:
(a) attaching metal chelating groups of ligands surrounding the semiconductor nanocrystal compositions to the surfaces of the semiconductor nanocrystal compositions, and
(b) reacting functional groups of the attached ligands with functional groups of bridging molecules to link the semiconductor nanocrystal compositions together in the matrix material; and
(2) depositing the high-refractive index material onto the surface of a lighting device.
17. A method of making a solid-state lighting device, comprising:
(1) incorporating at least one semiconductor nanocrystal compositions in a matrix material to form a high-refractive index material, wherein the high-refractive index material has a refractive index greater than 1.5 , and wherein the incorporating comprises:
(a) attaching metal chelating groups of ligands surrounding the semiconductor nanocrystal compositions to the surfaces of the semiconductor nanocrystal compositions; and
(b) reacting functional groups of the attached ligands with functional groups of backbone molecules to link the semiconductor nanocrystal compositions together in the matrix material; and
(2) depositing the high-refractive index material onto the surface of a lighting device.
18. A high refractive index material comprising:
a plurality of semiconductor nanocrystal compositions incorporated in a matrix material, wherein the high-refractive index material has a refractive index greater than 1.5 , and wherein the semiconductor nanocrystal compositions are linked through bonds between functional groups of metal chelating groups-containing ligands attached to the semiconductor nanocrystal compositions.
19. A high refractive index material comprising:
a plurality of semiconductor nanocrystal compositions incorporated in a matrix material, wherein the high-refractive index material has a refractive index greater than 1.5, and wherein the semiconductor nanocrystal compositions are linked through bonds between functional groups of metal chelating groups-containing ligands attached to the semiconductor nanocrystal compositions and bridging molecules.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method of patterning a low-k dielectric film, the method comprising:
forming and patterning a metal nitride mask layer above a low-k dielectric layer, the low-k dielectric layer disposed above a substrate;
passivating the metal nitride mask layer by treating with a plasma based on O2N2SixFy; and
etching a portion of the low-k dielectric layer.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein passivating the metal nitride mask layer comprises depositing a protecting material layer on the metal nitride layer.
3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:
subsequent to etching the portion of the low-k dielectric layer, removing the protecting material layer.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein passivating the metal nitride mask layer comprises modifying a surface of the metal nitride layer.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein treating with the plasma based on O2N2SixFy further comprises forming a protecting layer on a second portion of the low-k dielectric layer, wherein the second portion is not etched during the etching of the portion of the low-k dielectric layer.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein SixFy is SiF4.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the passivating the metal nitride mask layer by treating with the plasma based on O2N2SixFy is a carbon-free process.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein forming and patterning the metal nitride mask layer above the low-k dielectric layer comprises forming a layer of titanium nitride or a layer of tantalum nitride above a porous carbon-doped oxide (SiCOH) layer having a dielectric constant of less than 2.7.
9. A method of patterning a low-k dielectric film, the method comprising:
forming and patterning a metal nitride mask layer above a low-k dielectric layer, the low-k dielectric layer disposed above a substrate, wherein patterning the metal nitride layer comprises plasma etching performed at a pressure of approximately 40 mTorr, a source power (Ws) of approximately 200 W, a chemistry based on CF4, C4F8, N2 and Ar, at a showerhead to wafer gap of approximately 1.6 mm, for a duration of approximately 30 seconds;
passivating the metal nitride mask layer by treating with a plasma process performed at a pressure of approximately 20 mTorr, a source power (Ws) of approximately 150 W, a chemistry based on SiF4, N2, O2 and Ar, at a showerhead to wafer gap of approximately 1.25 mm, for a duration of approximately 220 seconds; and
etching a portion of the low-k dielectric layer, wherein the etching comprises plasma etching performed at a pressure of approximately 40 mTorr, a source power (Ws) of approximately 200 W, a chemistry based on SiF4, C4F8, N2 and Ar, at a showerhead to wafer gap of approximately 1.6 mm, for a duration of approximately 85 seconds.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein passivating the metal nitride mask layer by treating with the plasma process further comprises forming a protecting layer on a second portion of the low-k dielectric layer, wherein the second portion is not etched during the etching of the portion of the low-k dielectric layer.
11. The method of claim 9, wherein passivating the metal nitride mask layer comprises depositing a protecting material layer on the metal nitride layer.
12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:
subsequent to etching the portion of the low-k dielectric layer, removing the protecting material layer with a plasma process performed at a pressure of approximately 15 mTorr, a chemistry based on N2 and O2, at a showerhead to wafer gap of approximately 3.5 mm, for a duration of approximately 15 seconds.
13. The method of claim 9, wherein passivating the metal nitride mask layer comprises modifying a surface of the metal nitride layer.
14. The method of claim 9, wherein the passivating the metal nitride mask layer by treating with the plasma process is a carbon-free process.
15. The method of claim 9, wherein forming and patterning the metal nitride mask layer above the low-k dielectric layer comprises forming a layer of titanium nitride or a layer of tantalum nitride above a porous carbon-doped oxide (SiCOH) layer having a dielectric constant of less than 2.7.
16. A method of patterning a low-k dielectric film, the method comprising:
forming and patterning a metal nitride mask layer above a low-k dielectric layer, the low-k dielectric layer disposed above a substrate;
passivating the metal nitride mask layer by treating with a plasma based on O2N2SixFy;
etching a portion of the low-k dielectric layer;
repeating the passivating and etching to form trenches having sidewalls in the low-k dielectric layer; and
subsequent to repeating the passivating and etching to form the trenches, passivating the metal nitride mask layer and the sidewalls of the trenches formed in the low-k dielectric layer by treating with a plasma based on O2N2SixFy, wherein the passivating comprises depositing a protecting material layer on the metal nitride layer and on the sidewalls of the trenches formed in the low-k dielectric layer; and
etching to extend the trenches in the low-k dielectric layer.
17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:
subsequent to etching to extend the trenches in the low-k dielectric layer, removing the protecting material layer.
18. The method of claim 16, wherein SixFy is SiF4.
19. The method of claim 16, wherein the passivating the metal nitride mask layer by treating with the plasma based on O2N2SixFy is a carbon-free process.
20. The method of claim 16, wherein forming and patterning the metal nitride mask layer above the low-k dielectric layer comprises forming a layer of titanium nitride or a layer of tantalum nitride above a porous carbon-doped oxide (SiCOH) layer having a dielectric constant of less than 2.7.