In situ STEM observations of electromigration on thin aluminum stripes

1986 ◽  
Vol 44 ◽  
pp. 740-741
Author(s):  
J. V. Maskowitz ◽  
W. E. Rhoden ◽  
D. R. Kitchen ◽  
R. E. Omlor ◽  
P. F. Lloyd
Keyword(s):  
Thin Films ◽  
Integrated Circuit ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Circuit Reliability ◽  
Vlsi Technology ◽  
Thin Aluminum ◽  
Current Densities ◽  
Short Circuits ◽  
A Current

The existence of electromigration in thin films has been acknowledged since the early sixties. Electromigration is described as the main transport for atoms in a conductor under a current stress. Initial interest had been of a theoretical nature as electromigration had little impact on circuit reliability. With the maturing of Very Large Scale Integrated Circuit (VLSI) technology, current densities are exceeding 106 Amps/cm2 while linestripes are reaching into the submicron range. In this environment, electromigration can cause unwanted open or short circuits in thin films. This has serious implications on the reliability of any integrated circuit. By 1990, millions of transistors may be fabricated on a chip with feature sizes smaller than the wavelength of visible light.

Sample Preparation of Aluminum Bridge Test Vehicles for Tem In-Situ Crystallographic Studies of Electromigration

1987 ◽  
Vol 115 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. E. Rhoden ◽  
J. V. Maskowitz ◽  
D. R. Kitchen ◽  
R. E. Omlor ◽  
P. F. Lloyd
Keyword(s):  
High Temperature ◽  
Sample Preparation ◽  
Integrated Circuit ◽  
Circuit Reliability ◽  
Test Vehicle ◽  
Aluminum Films ◽  
Current Densities ◽  
Integrated Circuit Reliability ◽  
A Current

IntroductionElectromigration in aluminum films has been identified as an increasing concern for integrated circuit reliability. Electromigration is the mass transport of atoms in a conductor under a current stress. Electromigration occurs in conductors experiencing current densities greater than 105 A/cm2 and is accelerated by high temperature. The damage to aluminum films manifests itself in the formation of voids, hillocks and whiskers along the conductor. This paper presents a test vehicle preparation procedure which can be used to investigate electromigration.

Synchrotron X-Ray Topography of Dislocation Arrays

1986 ◽  
Vol 82 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. C. Bilello
Keyword(s):  
Thin Films ◽  
Plastic Deformation ◽  
Crack Initiation ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Crack Initiation And Propagation ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Gaas Substrates ◽  
Initiation And Propagation ◽  
Dislocation Arrays

ABSTRACTThe application of relatively low resolution x-ray topography methods, typically ∿ 1 micrometer, is limited in studies which involve large scale dislocation networks. However, the ability to non-destructively image wide areas for “thick” specimens at high intensity with a tunable x-ray source makes the synchrotron an ideal probe for a range of problems previously inaccessible by other methods. Some examples will be discussed such as: (a) crack initiation and propagation in fatigued bicrystals, (b) real-time in situ plastic deformation studies in strain-annealed Mo crystals, and (c) strain distributions in vapor deposited and LPE thin films on Si and GaAs substrates.

Deposition of MgB2 Thin Films on Nb Substrates Using an In Situ Annealing PLD Method

2007 ◽  
Vol 546-549 ◽  
pp. 2027-2030 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yue Zhao ◽  
Yi Sun Wu ◽  
S.X. Dou ◽  
T. Tajima ◽  
O.S. Romanenko
Keyword(s):  
Thin Films ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Pulsed Laser ◽  
Buffer Layers ◽  
Laser Deposition ◽  
Rf Cavities ◽  
Superconducting Rf ◽  
Mgb2 Thin Films ◽  
Scanning Electron

MgB2 thin films have been coated on Nb substrates without any buffer layers. An in situ pulsed laser deposition (PLD) method was used to prepare the coating. The interface between films and substrates has been characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Surface impedance has been measured for the MgB2 films on Nb substrates. The results were discussed with regard to the potential large scale applications in superconducting RF cavities.

Stress Measurements in Thin Films Deposited on Single Crystal Substrates Through X-ray Topography Techniques

1976 ◽  
Vol 20 ◽  
pp. 273-281 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. W. Hearn
Keyword(s):  
Thin Films ◽  
Single Crystal ◽  
Integrated Circuit ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Silicon Oxide ◽  
Double Crystal ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Quantitative Measurements ◽  
Order Of Magnitude ◽  
Polycrystalline Silicon Films

The application of x-ray topographic techniques to the measurement of stress in thin, films is discussed. Quantitative measurements of stresses in thin films deposited on semiconductor substrates, such as silicon, are also discussed. Double crystal and single crystal techniques are used for such measurements. Both techniques are applied to the measurements of stress in silicon oxide, silicon nitride and polycrystalline silicon films on silicon. The doubly crystal technique is useful for measurements of stresses as low as 109 dynes/cm2 in films only 1000A thick. The single crystal technique is less sensitive by one order of magnitude. The advantage of the single crystal technique is its simplicity and speed. It is useful for large scale measurements as encountered in the manufacture of silicon integrated circuit.

scholarly journals High Temperature Annealing Studies on the Piezoelectric Properties of Thin Aluminum Nitride Films

2007 ◽  
Vol 1052 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Farrell ◽  
V. R. Pagán ◽  
A. Kabulski ◽  
Sridhar Kuchibhatla ◽  
J. Harman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thin Films ◽  
High Temperature ◽  
Aluminum Nitride ◽  
Piezoelectric Response ◽  
Ambient Environment ◽  
High Temperature Furnace ◽  
Thin Aluminum ◽  
Controlled Environments ◽  
Temperature Furnace

AbstractA Rapid Thermal Annealing (RTA) system was used to anneal sputtered and MOVPE-grown Aluminum Nitride (AlN) thin films at temperatures up to 1000°C in ambient and controlled environments. According to Energy Dispersive X-Ray Analysis (EDAX), the films annealed in an ambient environment rapidly oxidize after five minutes at 1000°C. Below 1000°C the films oxidized linearly as a function of annealing temperature which is consistent with what has been reported in literature [1]. Laser Doppler Vibrometry (LDV) was used to measure the piezoelectric coefficient, d33, of these films. Films annealed in an ambient environment had a weak piezoelectric response indicating that oxidation on the surface of the film reduces the value of d33. A high temperature furnace has been built that is capable of taking in-situ measurements of the piezoelectric response of AlN films. In-situ d33 measurements are recorded up to 300°C for both sputtered and MOVPE-grown AlN thin films. The measured piezoelectric response appears to increase with temperature up to 300°C possibly due to stress in the film.

Rolling Processes and Performance of Cu-Fe In Situ Composites

2009 ◽  
Vol 79-82 ◽  
pp. 159-162
Author(s):  
Jun Qing Guo ◽  
He Yang ◽  
Ping Liu ◽  
Shu Guo Jia ◽  
Li Ming Bi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cold Rolling ◽  
Integrated Circuit ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Mechanical Performance ◽  
Sheet Material ◽  
Structural Function ◽  
In Situ Composites ◽  
In Situ Composite

The deformation processed Cu-based in-situ composite was a kind of structural function materials with high physical and mechanical performance and used widely in large scale integrated circuit. Especially, the sheet material of Cu-Fe in-situ composites was interested to researchers because the Fe was cheaper and the use of sheets was more widely in electron industry. In this study, the sheets of Cu-10Fe-1Ag in-situ composite were achieved by cold rolling which the thickness was from 6mm to 2.56mm, 1.28mm, 0.64mm and 0.32mm. Corresponding, the rolling ratio was 4.9, 5.3, 5.9 and 6.6. The maximum strength was 722Mpa at the rolling ratio 4.9. The conductivity was measured also with maximum 59.5% IACS. The experimental results show that the tensile strength and electrical resistance increase with the increasing of rolling strain. Although the conductivity of Cu-Fe in-situ composites was not very high, the matching of strength and conductivity was favorable. It is feasible that the high performance Cu-based in-situ composite can be obtained by cold rolling with merits of materials cheaper, melting simple and usage wide

Crystallographic orientation of aluminum whiskers formed by electromigration using transmission electron microscopy

1987 ◽  
Vol 45 ◽  
pp. 370-371
Author(s):  
D. R. Kitchen ◽  
S. L. Linder ◽  
R. E. Omlor ◽  
P. F. Lloyd
Keyword(s):  
Integrated Circuit ◽  
Crystallographic Orientation ◽  
Failure Modes ◽  
Elevated Temperatures ◽  
Device Performance ◽  
Aluminum Films ◽  
Transmission Electron ◽  
Current Densities ◽  
Short Circuits ◽  
Multi Level

Electromigration is a well known phenomenon in the aluminum films of an integrated circuit and occurs at elevated temperatures under the influence of current densities exceeding 10 amps/cm2. The failure modes are characteristically cracks, voids or hillocks in the metal lines, causing open-circuits. The majority of research in the electromigration of aluminum conductors examines the formation of these voids and hillocks in the linestripes. This is unfortunate since experiments have shown that short-circuits caused by whisker formation between adjacent stripes or between multi-level structures can be equally damaging to device performance. Most previous work has involved examining whiskers grown by annealing, however, very little work has been carried out on whiskers produced by electromigration. In this investigation aluminum whiskers formed by electromigration were studied with a transmission electron microsope to determine their crystallographic orientation.

Lateral dopant profiling of submicron VLSI device structures using scanned-probe microscopy

1993 ◽  
Vol 51 ◽  
pp. 822-823
Author(s):  
J. A. Slinkman
Keyword(s):  
Integrated Circuit ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Three Dimensions ◽  
Dopant Profiling ◽  
Vlsi Technology ◽  
Device Reliability ◽  
Device Structures ◽  
High Degree ◽  
Dopant Profiles

Present day very large scale integrated circuit (VLSI) technology requires accurate knowledge of the spatial extent in three dimensions (3D) of active impurity dopants which have been purposely incorporated into the device structures. The active region of a typical device, where most electrical conduction is confined, is engineered to contain dopants such as As, B, or P in a concentration range of 1015 to 1020 cm−3. It is necessary to control the variation of the dopant "profiles" to a resolution of 100 nm for device reliability. The devices themselves occupy a footprint of, typically, 10 um2.Except in 1D, it has been impossible to achieve a high degree of precision in the metrology of dopant profiles in actual device structures. Existing methods which have been developed for 2D dopant profiling, such as junction-staining or TEM, generally yield only qualitative information and are destructive measurements. Secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) yields quantitative data but the technique is time and labor intensive, but it, too, is destructive.

Electromigration Reliability of Electroplated Gold Interconnects

2014 ◽  
Vol 1692 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steve H. Kilgore ◽  
Dieter K. Schroder
Keyword(s):  
Current Density ◽  
Open Circuit ◽  
Constant Current ◽  
Measured Temperature ◽  
Lifetime Distributions ◽  
Current Densities ◽  
Log Normal ◽  
Equipment Application ◽  
A Current

ABSTRACTThe electromigration lifetimes of a very large quantity of passivated electroplated Au interconnects were measured utilizing high-resolution in-situ resistance monitoring equipment. Application of moderate accelerated stress conditions with current density limited to 2 MA/cm2 and oven temperatures in the range of 300°C to 375°C prevented large Joule-heated temperature gradients and electrical overstress failures. A Joule-heated Au film temperature increase of 10°C on average was determined from measured temperature coefficients of resistance (TCRs). A failure criterion of 50% resistance degradation was selected to avoid thermal runaway and catastrophic open circuit failures. All Au lifetime distributions followed log-normal statistics. An activation energy of 0.80 ± 0.05 eV was measured from constant-current electromigration tests at multiple temperatures. A current density exponent of 1.91 ± 0.03 was extracted from multiple current densities at a single constant temperature.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document