Texture Evolution in Al(Cu) Interconnect Materials

2001 ◽  
Vol 672 ◽  
Author(s):  
C.E. Murray ◽  
K.P. Rodbell
Keyword(s):  
Grain Growth ◽  
Texture Evolution ◽  
Effective Diffusivity ◽  
Morphological Development ◽  
Island Growth ◽  
Cu Films ◽  
Cu Film ◽  
Island Coalescence ◽  
Cu Interconnect ◽  
Time Required

ABSTRACTAn investigation of the microstructural evolution of Al(Cu) thin films deposited on a variety of interlevel dielectric (ILD) layers was performed. A combination of X-ray texture measurements and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was employed to link the texture behavior of the as-deposited Al(Cu) films at different thicknesses to the observed morphological development within the films. Three regimes of texture were revealed, corresponding to (1): Al(Cu) island growth and individual island coalescence, (2): fully coalesced film and the onset of grain growth and (3): extensive grain growth. The first and last of these regimes exhibited offset (111) texture, in which the maximum diffracted intensity from Al (111) is offset from the substrate normal. However, the position of maximum offset texture differed between the first and third stages of growth, indicating that two different mechanisms were responsible. The offset (111) texture observed in the third regime of Al(Cu) film microstructure was due to the faceting of grain surfaces. The time required for the films to reach these three stages depended on the effective diffusivity of the Al atoms on the ILD surfaces, which differed in chemistry and topography.

Texture Evolution in Cu Films and Lines

2007 ◽  
Vol 990 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chia-Jeng Chung ◽  
David Field ◽  
No-Jin Park ◽  
Christy Woo
Keyword(s):  
Grain Growth ◽  
Strain Energy ◽  
Texture Evolution ◽  
Growth Conditions ◽  
Geometric Constraints ◽  
In Situ Observation ◽  
Processing Conditions ◽  
Cu Films ◽  
Unique Character

ABSTRACTGrain growth in polycrystalline films is controlled by the energetics of the surface, interface and grain boundaries as well as strain energy. The unique character of damascene lines fabricated from electroplated Cu films introduces the additional considerations of bath chemistry and geometric constraints. The moderate stacking fault energy of Cu allows for the development of a substantial twin fraction for certain growth conditions. This paper discusses in-situ observation of grain growth in Cu films and lines under various processing conditions. It is shown that for thicker films and for structures constrained within damascene trenches the energetics of twin boundary formation play a large role in texture development of these structures.

Structure Evolution in Plated Cu Films

2005 ◽  
Vol 863 ◽  
Author(s):  
D.P. Field ◽  
NJ Park ◽  
PR Besser ◽  
JE Sanchez
Keyword(s):  
Film Thickness ◽  
Grain Growth ◽  
Texture Evolution ◽  
Structural Evolution ◽  
Similar Process ◽  
Structure Evolution ◽  
Line Geometry ◽  
Strong Function ◽  
Cu Films ◽  
Line Widths

AbstractStructure evolution in plated Cu films is a function of sublayer stacking, film thickness, plating chemistry, plating parameters, and temperature. The present work examines grain growth and texture evolution in annealed plated Cu on a 25 nm thick Ta sublayer for films of 480 and 750 nm in thickness. These results are compared against those obtained from damascene Cu lines fabricated from a similar process, using a series of line widths. The results show that the initial structures of the plated films are similar, with slightly weaker (111) texture, a higher fraction of twin boundaries, and larger grains in the thicker films. The microstructure of the Cu within the trench constraints is a strong function of line geometry with the propensity for twin boundary development controlling structural evolution.

Observation of Grain Growth in Cu Films by In-Situ EBSD Analysis

2003 ◽  
Vol 766 ◽  
Author(s):  
D.P. Field ◽  
M.M. Nowell ◽  
O.V. Kononenko
Keyword(s):  
Grain Size ◽  
Grain Growth ◽  
Crystallographic Texture ◽  
Texture Evolution ◽  
Tantalum Nitride ◽  
Cu Films ◽  
Orientation Imaging ◽  
Film Characteristics ◽  
Beam Deposition

AbstractRecrystallization, grain growth and crystallographic texture evolution in Cu films is an area of importance for IC interconnect fabrication as the film characteristics influence the resulting line microstructure. This study examines Cu films deposited by partially ionized beam deposition onto a sublayer of tantalum nitride and additionally onto alpha- C:H. The films were annealed in-situ in the SEM chamber and intermittent orientation imaging was used to characterize the grain growth and crystallographic texture evolution in the films. Both initial and final textures are weak in each of the films analyzed, but are a function of sublayer material and thickness. Grain size in the Cu films is significantly smaller for the tantalum nitride sublayer than for the á-C:H sublayer.

Thermomechanical Behavior and Properties of Passivated Pvd and Ecd Cu Thin Films

2005 ◽  
Vol 875 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Gregoire ◽  
S. Kordic ◽  
P. Gergaud ◽  
O. Thomas ◽  
M. Ignat
Keyword(s):  
Thin Films ◽  
Thermal Cycling ◽  
Grain Growth ◽  
Impurity Content ◽  
Thermomechanical Behavior ◽  
Temperature Curve ◽  
Cu Films ◽  
Texture Change ◽  
Cu Film ◽  
Electrochemically Deposited

AbstractThe thermomechanical behavior is investigated of SiCN-encapsulated blanket Physical Vapor Deposited (PVD) and Electrochemically Deposited (ECD) Cu films. At lower ECD Cu film thicknesses an anomalous shape and a tail of the stress-temperature curve are observed, which are not caused by impurities at the interfaces, but are correlated to highly textured microstructure. Repeated thermal cycling of up to 400 °C does not markedly change the texture of the films, but a significant texture change takes place with increasing ECD Cu thickness. Thermal cycling induces grain growth for thicker films only. Impurity content and distribution in the PVD films do not change due to cycling.

Effect of Film Thickness on the Annealing Texture in Sputtered and Electroplated Cu Films

2006 ◽  
Vol 15-17 ◽  
pp. 982-988
Author(s):  
Sang Hoon Lee ◽  
No Jin Park ◽  
David P. Field ◽  
Paul R. Besser
Keyword(s):  
Film Thickness ◽  
Grain Growth ◽  
Processing Conditions ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Cu Films ◽  
Annealing Texture ◽  
Cu Film ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Si Wafer

For optimum fabrication and usage of Cu films, an understanding of the relationship between processing and microstructure is required. The existence of twins is another significant factor for texture development in Cu films. Texture character and strength in the Cu film is dependent on the twin boundary development that is a function of processing conditions and film thickness. In this study, determination of grain growth and texture in the sputtered and electroplated Cu films during annealing was performed for films of 100, 480 and 850 nm in thickness deposited on a Ta(25 nm)/Si wafer. The texture was measured by X-ray pole figure. The effect of film thickness on the annealing texture in the sputtered and electroplated Cu films is examined and discussed.

Nucleation and Growth of CVD Cu Films

1999 ◽  
Vol 564 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Kröger ◽  
M. Eizenberg ◽  
D. Cong ◽  
N. Yoshida ◽  
L. Y. Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Seed Layer ◽  
Nucleation And Growth ◽  
Growth Stages ◽  
Initial Growth ◽  
Island Growth ◽  
Cu Films ◽  
Force Microscopy ◽  
Atomic Force ◽  
Transmission Electron ◽  
Cu Film

AbstractIn this work the nucleation and growth of CVD Cu on MOCVD TiN barrier layer as well as on PVD Ta with and without a PVD Cu seed layer on top were studied. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy was used to characterize the dependence of morphology and microstructure on deposition time. XRD measurements were carried out to study the orientation of the polycrystalline films. Atomic force microscopy was applied to investigate the surface topography. A random crystal orientation and an amorphous interlayer between the CVD Cu film and the barrier - leading to a poor adhesion performance of the CVD Cu films - were obtained on Ta and TiN, where island growth can be observed. A CVD Cu film deposited on top of PVD Cu leads to a highly preferred <111> orientation and a significantly improved adhesion of the Cu film. A PVD Cu seed layer as thin as 60 Å was found to produce an epitaxially grown <111> textured Cu film. These results highlight the importance of the initial growth stages for both morphology and adhesion of the CVD Cu films.

scholarly journals Anisotropic Grain Growth in (111) Nanotwinned Cu Films by DC Electrodeposition

Materials ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 134 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tien-Lin Lu ◽  
Yu-An Shen ◽  
John A. Wu ◽  
Chih Chen
Keyword(s):  
Grain Growth ◽  
Integrated Circuit ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Cu Films ◽  
3D Ic Packaging ◽  
Cu Film ◽  
Average Grain Size ◽  
Three Dimensional Integrated Circuit ◽  
Grain Growth Behavior

We have reported a method of fabricating (111)-orientated nanotwinned copper (nt-Cu) by direct current electroplating. X-ray analysis was performed for the samples annealed at 200 to 350 °C for an hour. X-ray diffraction indicates that the (200) signal intensity increases while (111) decreases. Abnormal grain growth normally results from transformation of surface energy or strain energy density. The average grain size increased from 3.8 µm for the as-deposited Cu films to 65–70 µm after the annealing at 250 °C for 1 h. For comparison, no significant grain growth behavior was observed by random Cu film after annealing for an hour. This research shows the potential for its broad electric application in interconnects and three-dimensional integrated circuit (3D IC) packaging.

scholarly journals Mean Field Analysis of Orientation Selective Grain Growth Driven By Interface-Energy Anisotropy

1994 ◽  
Vol 343 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. A. Floro ◽  
C. V. Thompson
Keyword(s):  
Grain Size ◽  
Size Distribution ◽  
Grain Growth ◽  
Texture Evolution ◽  
Mean Field ◽  
Orientation Distribution ◽  
Interface Energy ◽  
Abnormal Grain Growth ◽  
Field Analysis ◽  
Energy Anisotropy

ABSTRACTAbnormal grain growth is characterized by the lack of a steady state grain size distribution. In extreme cases the size distribution becomes transiently bimodal, with a few grains growing much larger than the average size. This is known as secondary grain growth. In polycrystalline thin films, the surface energy γs and film/substrate interfacial energy γi vary with grain orientation, providing an orientation-selective driving force that can lead to abnormal grain growth. We employ a mean field analysis that incorporates the effect of interface energy anisotropy to predict the evolution of the grain size/orientation distribution. While abnormal grain growth and texture evolution always result when interface energy anisotropy is present, whether secondary grain growth occurs will depend sensitively on the details of the orientation dependence of γi.

The Microstructure and Electrical Property of Porous Cu Film on Soft PVDF Substrate

2012 ◽  
Vol 472-475 ◽  
pp. 1451-1454
Author(s):  
Xue Hui Wang ◽  
Wu Tang ◽  
Ji Jun Yang
Keyword(s):  
Electrical Properties ◽  
Film Surface ◽  
X Ray Diffraction ◽  
Si Substrate ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Cu Films ◽  
Cu Film ◽  
Diffraction Peaks ◽  
Sputtering Pressure ◽  
Effect Method

The porous Cu film was deposited on soft PVDF substrate by magnetron sputtering at different sputtering pressure. The microstructure and electrical properties of Cu films were investigated as a function of sputtering pressure by X-ray diffraction XRD and Hall effect method. The results show that the surface morphology of Cu film is porous, and the XRD revealed that there are Cu diffraction peaks with highly textured having a Cu-(220) or a mixture of Cu-(111) and Cu-(220) at sputtering pressure 0.5 Pa. The electrical properties are also severely influenced by sputtering pressure, the resistivity of the porous Cu film is much larger than that fabricated on Si substrate. Furthermore, the resistivity increases simultaneously with the increasing of Cu film surface aperture, but the resistivity of Cu film still decreases with the increasing grain size. It can be concluded that the crystal structure is still the most important factor for the porous Cu film resistivity.

Texture and Ductility of Ni3Al Foils

2011 ◽  
Vol 306-307 ◽  
pp. 116-119
Author(s):  
Masahiko Demura ◽  
Ya Xu ◽  
Toshiyuki Hirano
Keyword(s):  
Grain Boundary ◽  
Grain Growth ◽  
Memory Effect ◽  
Texture Evolution ◽  
High Mobility ◽  
Two Stage ◽  
Texture Memory ◽  
Highly Effective ◽  
Cold Rolled

This article presents the texture evolution and the ductility improvement of the cold-rolled foils of boron-free Ni3Al during the recrystallization and the subsequent grain growth. The cold-rolled foils had sharp {110} textures. After the recrystallization at 873K/0.5h, the texture was disintegrated with several texture components. Interestingly, most of them had a single rotation relationship. i.e. 40˚ around <111>. With the progress of the grain growth, however, the texture returned to the sharp, cold-rolled textures. This two-stage texture evolution, called as “Texture memory effect”, was explained assuming a high mobility of the grain boundary with the 40˚<111> rotation relationship. The texture returning was highly effective to improve the ductility of the foils.

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