Nano-porous low dielectric constant films are deposited utilizing
materials having reactive by-products readily removed from a processing
chamber by plasma cleaning. In accordance with one embodiment, an
oxidizable silicon containing compound is reacted with an oxidizable
non-silicon component having thermally labile groups, in a reactive
oxygen ambient and in the presence of a plasma. The deposited silicon
oxide film is annealed to form dispersed microscopic voids or pores that
remain in the nano-porous silicon. Oxidizable non-silicon components with
thermally labile groups that leave by-products readily removed from the
chamber, include but are not limited to, limonene, carene, cymene,
fenchone, vinyl acetate, methyl methacrylate, ethyl vinyl ether,
tetrahydrofuran, furan, 2,5 Norbornadiene, cyclopentene, cyclopentene
oxide, methyl cyclopentene, 2-cyclopentene-1-one, and 1-butene.