High-spatial-resolution x-ray microanalysis of Al-2wt.% Cu aluminum thin films

Aluminum - 2 wt.% copper alloys are commonly used in thin film form as interconnect metallization lines for integrated circuits. Experience has shown that the addition of the Cu to the Al, albeit at a decrease in conductivity, makes the metallizations more resistant to failure by electromigration. However, the mechanism by which Cu increases the resistance to electromigration has never been positively identified. One theory proposes that Cu coats the Al grain boundaries (boundaries are enriched in Cu) and retards grain boundary diffusion thereby reducing electromigration. Another theory suggests that a continuous thin layer of CuAl2 forms along the boundaries also reducing grain boundary transport and therefore the tendency to electromigrate. Recently, Frear et al. have reported on a detailed set of experiments to examine these theories from a microstructural viewpoint. Here, the details of the high spatial resolution microanalysis done to support the study of Fear, et al. are reported.Al- 2wt.% Cu was magnetron sputtered onto a borosilicate glass (BSG) coated (100) Si wafer. The Al-Cu films were sputtered at room temperature from a single source under an argon atmosphere at a deposition rate of 100 nm/min. Films 400 and 800 nm thick were prepared. The films were annealed under a 15% hydrogen forming gas (reducing) at 425°C for 35 min.