Barrier Metal Ions Drift into Porous Low k Dielectrics under Bias-Temperature stress

Ta family has been used as barrier to prevent Cu diffusion into interlayer dielectric in IC applications. Recent experiments demonstrated a more severe flatband voltage shift (ΔVFB) occurred for Ta/porous low k dielectrics/Si capacitors compared to that of Cu/porous low k dielectrics/Si capacitors after a moderate bias temperature stress (BTS). The flatband voltage shift under BTS was interpreted as the penetration of Ta ions into porous low k dielectrics. However, this interpretation has been under debate. In this paper, by using Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS) backside sputter depth profile technique, we report a direct evidence of Ta ions inside porous methyl silsesquioxane (MSQ) in a Ta/MSQ/Si structure after BTS.