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Hillock Formation in Tensile Loaded Films

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 February 2011

Karen E. Harris  and
Alexander H. King
Karen E. Harris
Affiliation:
Department of Materials Science & Engineering, State University of New York at Stony Brook, Stony Brook, NY 11794-2275.
Alexander H. King
Affiliation:
Department of Materials Science & Engineering, State University of New York at Stony Brook, Stony Brook, NY 11794-2275.
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Abstract

While hillocks usually form to relieve compressive stresses in thin films resulting from electromigration or a difference in thermal expansion in the film and substrate, we have observed hillock formation in tensile-loaded films. We have used transmission electron microscopy to study hillocks which formed in free-standing gold thin films of 25nm nominal thickness. Grain growth during 150°C anneals reduced the grain boundary area and associated free volume, placing the films under tensile stress. While hillock formation could only increase this stress, large single crystal or polycrystalline hillocks with thicknesses up to three times the film thickness are observed after 400°C annealing, after long room temperature anneals, and during TEM observation. These observations suggest the operation of a hillock formation mechanism not explained by any existing hillock formation theories.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 391: Symposium T – Materials Reliability in Microelectronics V , 1995 , 73
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1995

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