Versatile Landscape of Low-k Polyimide: Theories, Synthesis, Synergistic Properties, and Industrial Integration

The development of microelectronics and large-scale intelligence nowadays promotes the integration, miniaturization, and multifunctionality of electronic and devices but also leads to the increment of signal transmission delays, crosstalk, and energy consumption. The exploitation of materials with low permittivity (low-k) is crucial for realizing innovations in microelectronics. However, due to the high permittivity of conventional interlayer dielectric material (k ∼ 4.0), it is difficult to meet the demands of current microelectronic technology development (k < 3.0). Organic dielectric materials have attracted much attention because of their relatively low permittivity owing to their low material density and low single bond polarization. Polyimide (PI) exhibits better application potential based on its well permittivity tunability (k = 1.1-3.2), high thermal stability (>500 °C), and mechanical property (modulus of elasticity up to 3.0-4.0 GPa). In this review, based on the synergistic relationship of dielectric parameters of materials, the development of nearly 20 years on low-k PI is thoroughly summarized. Moreover, process strategies for modifying low-k PI at the molecular level, multiphase recombination, and interface engineering are discussed exhaustively. The industrial application, technological challenges, and future development of low-k PI are also analyzed, which will provide meaningful guidance for the design and practical application of multifunctional low-k materials.

Controlling Fluorination Density of Soluble Polyimide Gate Dielectrics and its Influence on Organic Crystal Growth and Device Operational Stability

Fluorinated polyimides (PIs) are among the most promising candidates for gate dielectric materials in organic electronic devices because of their solution processability and outstanding chemical, mechanical, and thermal stabilities. Additionally, fluorine (F) substitution improves the electrical properties of PI thin films, such as enhanced dielectric properties and reduced surface trap densities. However, the relationship between the fluorination density of PIs and crystal growth modes of vacuum-deposited conjugated molecules on PI thin films, which is directly related to the lateral charge transport along the PI-organic semiconductor interface, has not been systematically studied. Herein, five different soluble PIs with different F densities were synthesized, and the correlation between fluorination and thin-film properties was systematically investigated. Not only were their dielectric properties modulated, but the growth modes of the organic molecules deposited on the PI thin films also changed with increasing surface F density. This phenomenon was observed by both surface and crystallographic analyses, which resulted in extremely high operational stability of field-effect transistors and the successful fabrication of organic complementary circuits. We believe that the correlation between PI backbone fluorination and its thin-film properties will provide practical insights into the material design based on controlled molecular directed surface assembly on fluorinated polymer dielectrics.

Research Advances of Porous Polyimide-Based Composites with Low Dielectric Constant

With the burgeoning of the microelectronics industry, in order to improve the transmission speed between chips in large-scale integrated circuits to meet the demands of high integration, it is necessary for interlayer insulation materials to possess a lower dielectric constant (k). Polyimide (PI) has been widely used as interlayer insulation materials for large-scale integrated circuits, and the exploration on reducing their dielectric constant has attracted extensive attention in recent years. In this work, porous PI-based composites with a low dielectric constant are mainly reviewed. The application of porous SiO2, graphene derivatives, polyoxometalates, polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane and hyperbranched polysiloxane in reducing the dielectric constant of PI is emphatically introduced. The key technical problems and challenges in the current research of porous polyimide materials are summarized, and the development prospect of low k polyimide is also expounded.

Structural Designs of Transparent Polyimide Films with Low Dielectric Properties and Low Water Absorption: A Review

The rapid development of communication networks (5G and 6G) that rely on high-speed devices requiring fast and high-quality intra- and inter-terminal signal transmission media has led to a steady increase in the need for high-performance, low-dielectric-constant (D_k) (<2.5) materials. Consequently, low-dielectric polymeric materials, particularly polyimides (PIs), are very attractive materials that are capable of meeting the requirements of high-performance terminal devices that transmit broadband high-frequency signals. However, such a PI needs to be properly designed with appropriate properties, including a low D_k, low dielectric loss (D_f), and low water absorptivity. PI materials are broadly used in various fields owing to their superior property/processibility combinations. This review summarizes the structural designs of PIs with low D_k and D_f values, low water-absorbing capacity, and high optical transparency intended for communication applications. Furthermore, we characterize structure-property relationships for various PI types and finally propose structural modifications required to obtain useful values of the abovementioned parameters.

Sustainable Dielectric Films with Ultralow Permittivity from Soluble Fluorinated Polyimide

In the rapidly growing area of high-frequency communications, polyimide films with ultralow dielectric constant and dielectric loss, adequate insulating strength, and recyclability are in high demand. Using a synthesized soluble fluorinated polyimide, a series of recyclable porous dielectric films with varying porosities were fabricated in this study through nonsolvent-induced phase separation. By manipulating the mass ratio of the binary solvent used to dissolve the polyimide, the shape, size, and size distribution of the pores generated throughout the polyimide matrix can be accurately regulated. The porosity and average pore size of the as-prepared porous films were adjustable between 71% and 33% and between 9.31 and 1.00 μm, respectively, which resulted in a variable dielectric constant of 1.51–2.42 (100 kHz) and electrical breakdown strength of 30.3–119.7 kV/mm. The porous sPI film with a porosity rate of 48% displayed a low dielectric constant of 2.48 at 10 GHz. Coupled with their superior thermal stability, mechanical characteristics, and recyclability, these porous polyimide films are highly promising for constructing high-frequency microelectronic devices.

Research progress of low dielectric constant polymer materials

The advent of high frequency communication era presents new challenges for further development of dielectric polymer materials. In the field of communication, efficient signal transmission is critical. The lower the dielectric constant of the dielectric material used, the lower the signal delay and the higher the signal fidelity. The preparation of polymer materials with low dielectric constant or reduce the dielectric constant of polymer materials becomes a key research topic. Summarizing past progress and providing perspective, this paper primarily discusses the intrinsic low dielectric polymers, fluorine doped low dielectric polymers, and microporous low dielectric polymers, while predicting the research trend of low dielectric materials.

Low-Permittivity Copolymerized Polyimides with Fluorene Rigid Conjugated Structure

As the miniaturization of electronic appliances and microprocessors progresses, low-permittivity interlayer materials are becoming increasingly important for their suppression of electronic crosstalk, signal propagation delay and loss, and so forth. Herein, a kind of copolyimide (CPI) film with a “fluorene” rigid conjugated structure was prepared successfully. By introducing 9,9-Bis(3-fluoro-4-aminophenyl) fluorene as the rigid conjugated structure monomer, a series of CPI films with different molecular weights were fabricated by in situ polymerization, which not only achieved the reduction of permittivity but also maintained excellent thermodynamic stability. Moreover, the hydrophobicity of the CPI film was also improved with the increasing conjugated structure fraction. The lowest permittivity reached 2.53 at 10⁶ Hz, while the thermal decomposition temperature (T_d5%) was up to 530 °C, and the tensile strength was ≥ 96 MPa. Thus, the CPI films are potential dielectric materials for microelectronic and insulation applications.

Microwave-assisted synthesis of high thermal stability and colourless polyimides containing pyridine

A novel aromatic diamine containing pyridyl side group, 4-pyridine-4,4-bis(3,5-dimethyl-5-aminophenyl)methane (PyDPM), was successfully synthesized via electrophilic substitution reaction. The polyimides (PIs) containing pyridine were obtained via the microwave-assisted one-step polycondensation of the PyDPM with pyromellitic dianhydride (PMDA), 3,3',4,4'-biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydride (BPDA), 3,3',4,4'-diphenylether tetracarboxylic dianhydride (ODPA) and 4,4'-(hexafluoroisopropylidene)diphthalic anhydride (6FDA). Contrarily to the reported similar PIs, these PIs exhibit much higher thermal stability or heat resistance, i.e. high glass transition temperatures (T gs) in the range of 358-473°C, and the decomposition temperatures at 5% weight loss over 476°C under nitrogen. They can afford flexible and strong films with tensile strength of 82.1-93.3 MPa, elongation at break of 3.7%-15.2%, and Young's modulus of 3.3-3.8 GPa. Furthermore, The PI films exhibit good optical transparency with the cut-off wavelength at 313-366 nm and transmittance higher than 73% at 450 nm. The excellent thermal and optical transmittance can be attributed to synthesis method and the introduction of pyridine rings and ortho-methyl groups. The inherent viscosities of PIs via one-step method were found to be 0.58-1.12 dl g-1 in DMAc, much higher than those via two-step method. These results indicate these PIs could be potential candidates for optical substrates of organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs).

Ternary memory property of novel polyimide with backbone carbazole moiety and pendant triphenylamine moiety

The polyimide (TPA-Cz PI) was synthesized by the reaction of 9-(4′-(4′-diphenylamino)phenylbenzyl)-3,6-diaminocarbazole with 2,2′,3,3′-biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydride through a classical two-step polymerization process. It exhibited excellent organo-solubility and self-extinguishing property. The synthesized TPA-Cz PI shown excellent film formation. The TPA-Cz PI film sandwiched between an indium tin oxide bottom electrode and Al top electrode. And the fabricated memory device exhibited ternary rewritable storage property in the bias with good data retention and the current ratio of 104:102:1 for ON2, ON1, and OFF states. Its current conduction mechanism by the I-V curves of different conduction models based on the experimental data was analyzed and used to illuminate the physical nature of resistance switching effects. The experimental result indicates that field-induced conformational ordering of the TPA-Cz PI chains and charge-transfer interaction between electron-donor and electron-withdrawing are responsible for the switching behavior. This work can provide a sketch for the design and selection of ternary state resistance random access memory materials in future research.

Low Dielectric Polyetherimides Derived from Bis[4-(4-(4-aminophenoxy)-2-tert-butylphenoxy)phenyl] Sulfone and 4,4'-Bis[4-(4-aminophenoxy)-2-tert-butylphenoxy]perfluorobiphenyl

Two diamines, bis[4-(4-(4-aminophenoxy)-2-tert-butylphenoxy)phenyl] sulfone (PSNH₂) and 4,4'-bis[4-(4-aminophenoxy)-2-tert-butylphenoxy)perfluorobiphenyl (PFNH₂), were prepared from 3-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyanisole using a four-step procedure, including two nucleophilic substitutions, demethylation, and catalytic reduction. On the basis of PSNH₂ and PFNH₂, two series of low dielectric polyetherimides (PEIs) were prepared. Both series of PEIs exhibit moderate-to-high thermal properties, including a glass transition temperature (T _g) > 259 °C (depending on the rigidity of dianhydride), a 5 wt % decomposition temperature (T _d5%) > 496 °C, and a coefficient of thermal expansion < 66 ppm/°C. Because of the hydrophobic tert-butyl phenylene oxide structure, both series of PEIs show excellent dielectric properties, with a dielectric constant as low as 2.4-2.7. The structure-property relationship of both series of PEIs is discussed in this work.

Investigation of thermal and tensile properties of poly(benzimidazole-imide) composites incorporating salicylic acid–functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes

This work describes a novel aromatic poly(benzimidazole-imide) (PBII) with amino salicylic acid (ASA) segments in the main chain by melt/solid polymerization method under solvent-free conditions and its composites reinforced with ASA-functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs-ASA). The polymer was obtained in high yield with an amorphous morphology, was soluble in various organic solvents, such as N,N′-dimethylacetamide, N,N′-dimethylformamide, N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, and dimethyl sulfoxide, and could afford flexible and tough film via solution casting. MWCNT-ASA/PBII composite films were also prepared by casting a solution of precursor polymer containing different fractions of MWCNTs-ASA into a thin film (1, 2, and 5 wt%). The cast films exhibited good mechanical properties with tensile strengths of 90.00–128.3 MPa, elongation at break of 4.6–7.9%, and tensile modulus of 1.6–2.9 GPa. They were reasonably stable up to a temperature above 400°C for the PBII and above 450°C for the composites. Structural and morphological evaluation of the composites was carried out by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. Dispersion of MWCNT-ASA in the polymer matrix was investigated by field emission scanning and transmission electron microscopy.