Methods for reducing dual damascene distortion

1. An integrated circuit structure comprising:

a first low-k dielectric layer having a first k value;

a second low-k dielectric layer having a second k value lower than the first k value overlying the first low-k dielectric layer; and

a transition layer between the first low-k dielectric layer and the second low-k dielectric layer, wherein the transition layer has a third k value lower than the first k value and higher than the second k value, and an entirety of the transition layer has the third k value that is substantially uniform;

a dual damascene structure comprising:

a via with a portion in the first low-k dielectric layer; and

a metal line over and joined to the via, wherein the metal line comprises a portion in the second low-k dielectric layer.

2. The integrated circuit structure of claim 1 , wherein the metal line has a bottom surface substantially level with, and no higher than, a top surface of the transition layer.

3. The integrated circuit structure of claim 1 , wherein the metal line has a bottom surface at an intermediate level between a top surface and a bottom surface of the transition layer.

4. The integrated circuit structure of claim 1 , wherein the transition layer comprises oxygen, carbon, and silicon.

5. The integrated circuit structure of claim 1 , wherein a difference between the second k value and the third k value is higher than about 0.1.

6. The integrated circuit structure of claim 1 , wherein the metal line has a bottom surface substantially level with an interface between the transition layer and the first low-k dielectric layer, with an abrupt change of k values at the interface.

7. The integrated circuit structure of claim 1 , wherein each of the first low-k dielectric layer and the second low-k dielectric layer has a uniform k value.

8. The integrated circuit structure of claim 1 , wherein at an interface between the transition layer and the first low-k dielectric layer, there is an abrupt transition from the first k value to the third k value.

9. The integrated circuit structure of claim 1 , wherein at an interface between the transition layer and the second low-k dielectric layer, there is an abrupt transition from the second k value to the third k value.

10. An integrated circuit structure comprising:

a first low-k dielectric layer having a first k value;

a transition layer overlying and contacting the first low-k dielectric layer, wherein the transition layer has a second k value lower than the first k value, and an entirety of the transition layer has a substantially uniform porosity;

a second low-k dielectric layer overlying and contacting the transition layer, wherein the second low-k dielectric layer has a third k value lower than the second k value; and

a dual damascene structure comprising:

a via comprising a first portion in the first low-k dielectric layer; and

a metal line over and joined to the via, wherein the metal line extends from a top surface to a bottom surface of the second low-k dielectric layer.

11. The integrated circuit structure of claim 10 , wherein the via further comprises a second portion in the transition layer.

12. The integrated circuit structure of claim 11 , wherein the via penetrates through the transition layer.

13. The integrated circuit structure of claim 10 , wherein the metal line further comprises a second portion in the transition layer.

14. The integrated circuit structure of claim 13 , wherein the metal line penetrates through the transition layer to extend into the first low-k dielectric layer.

15. The integrated circuit structure of claim 10 , wherein the first low-k dielectric layer, the transition layer, and the second low-k dielectric layer comprise same elements, and the elements in the first low-k dielectric layer, the transition layer, and the second low-k dielectric layer have percentages substantially equal to each other.

16. The integrated circuit structure of claim 15 , wherein the first low-k dielectric layer has a first porosity, the transition layer has a second porosity higher than the first porosity, and the second low-k dielectric layer has a third porosity higher than the second porosity.

17. The integrated circuit structure of claim 10 , wherein at a first interface between the transition layer and the first low-k dielectric layer, there is an abrupt transition from the first k value to the second k value, and at a second interface between the transition layer and the second low-k dielectric layer, there is an abrupt transition from the second k value to the third k value.

18. A method comprising:

depositing a first low-k dielectric layer having a first k value;

depositing a transition layer overlying and contacting the first low-k dielectric layer, wherein the transition layer has a second k value lower than the first k value, and an entirety of the transition layer has the second k value that is substantially uniform;

depositing a second low-k dielectric layer overlying and contacting the transition layer, wherein the second low-k dielectric layer has a third k value lower than the second k value;

performing a first etching step to etch the second low-k dielectric layer until the transition layer is exposed to form a trench;

performing a second etching step to form a via opening underlying and joined to the trench, wherein the first low-k dielectric layer is etched; and

filling the trench and the via to form a metal line in the trench and a via in the via opening.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the first etching step is stopped on a top surface of the transition layer.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the depositing the first low-k dielectric layer, the transition layer, and the second low-k dielectric layer are performed with same types of precursors, with amounts of porogen different from each other.