Fluoropolymer interlayer dielectric by chemical vapor deposition

1. A process for forming a fluoropolymer layer on a thin film device, comprising:

a.) delivering a gas phase fluoromonomer and a gas phase free radical polymerization initiator to said thin film device,

b.) mixing said gas phase fluoromonomer and said gas phase free radical polymerization initiator to form a gas phase mixture of said fluoromonomer and said free radical polymerization initiator,

c.) contacting said thin film device with said gas phase mixture of said fluoromonomer and said free radical polymerization initiator, and

d.) initiating polymerization of said fluoromonomer with said free radical polymerization initiator, whereby said fluoromonomer polymerizes to form said fluoropolymer layer on said thin film device.

2. The process of claim 1 wherein the delivering of a gas phase fluoromonomer and a gas phase free radical polymerization initiator to said thin film device is by chemical vapor deposition means.

3. The process of claim 1 wherein the fluoropolymer layer is 500 angstroms to about 50,000 angstroms thick.

4. The process of claim 1 wherein the fluoromonomer is selected from the group consisting of

fluoroethylenes represented by the formula C 2 H x F (4−x) , wherein x is from 0 to 3,

fluorodioxoles represented by the formula cyclo-[-(C(R 1 )(R 2 )) x OCF═CFO-] wherein x is 1 or 2, and R 1 and R 2 are independently selected from fluorine (F) and linear and branched, saturated perfluoroalkane radicals represented by the formula —C x F (2x+1) , wherein x is from 1 to 5,

fluoro-1,3-dioxolanes represented by the formula cyclo-[-C(═CF 2 )OC(F)(R 1 )CF 2 O-], and wherein R 1 is selected from fluorine (F) and linear and branched, saturated perfluoroalkane radicals represented by the formula —C x F (2x+1) , wherein x is from 1 to 5,

fluorodienes represented by the formula CF 2 ═CFO(C(F)(R 1 )) x CF═CF 2 wherein x is from 1 to 5, and wherein R 1 is selected from fluorine (F) and linear and branched, saturated perfluoroalkane radicals represented by the formula —C x F (2x+1) , wherein x is from 1 to 5, and

fluorovinyl hydrofluoroalkyl ethers represented by the formula CF 2 ═CFOCH 2 R 1 , wherein R 1 is hydrogen (H) or linear and branched, saturated radicals represented by the formula —C x F (2x+1) wherein x is from 1 to 5 and y is from 0 to 2x−1.

5. The process of claim 1 wherein the fluoromonomer is tetrafluoroethylene.

6. The process of claim 1 wherein the free radical polymerization initiator is selected from the group consisting of peroxides, saturated alkyl halides, haloalkenes, halogens and inorganic halides.

7. The process of claim 1 wherein the initiating step is performed at a pressure of about 101 kPa to about 10.1 kPa, at a temperature of about 20° C. to about 500° C., and a mole ratio of free radical polymerization initiator to fluoromonomer of about 1:100 to about 1:100,000.

8. The process of claim 2 wherein the chemical vapor deposition means is selected from the group consisting of linear injector, annular injector, a contoured plate reactor, and a sub-atmospheric pressure tool using a Multiblock™ injector.