Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-j824f Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-17T21:22:40.053Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Electrical Resistance Anomalies During Electromigration Testing of Cu Conductor Lines: Examples of Local Melting?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2011

Hongqing Zhang
Affiliation:
[email protected] UniversityMaterials Science & Engineering5 E. Packer Ave.Bethlehem PA18015United States
Gan Wang
Affiliation:
[email protected], Lehigh University, Materials Science & Engineering, 5 E. Packer Ave., Bethlehem, PA, 18015, United States
G. S. Cargill III
Affiliation:
[email protected], Lehigh University, Materials Science & Engineering, 5 E. Packer Ave., Bethlehem, PA, 18015, United States
Get access

Abstract

We have observed abrupt, reversible resistance changes during electromigration (EM) testing of 0.16μm thick, 100μm long damascene Cu conductor lines with TaN liners and W vias. Lines of 0.2μm, 0.8μm and 2μm widths were tested and compared. The tests were conducted at temperatures of 300C – 350C and with current densities of 0.6 × 106 A/cm2 to 1.6 × 106A/cm2. In most cases an incubation period with negligible resistance increase is followed by a period of continuous, gradual resistance increase, attributed to formation and growth of voids in the conductor line. With further EM, the resistance curves show spike like features, with a sudden resistance increase, followed by a resistance decrease, often to values close to those before the start of EM. In other cases, no resistance decrease occurs, and the line fails. We present resistance data, microstructural observations and thermal calculations that suggest that the resistance decrease results from sudden, local Joule heating melting of conductor line segments and voids being partially filled by the back-flowing liquid Cu, which then solidifies. In some cases line failure results from liquid Cu erupting through the top surface passivation layer, rather than flowing back to fill voids in the line.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2006

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1 Carslaw, H. S. and Jaeger, J. C., Conduction of Heat in Solids, 2nd ed., Clarendon Press, p. 243, (1959).Google Scholar
2 Touloukian, Y.S., Powell, R.W., Ho, C.Y., and Klemens, P.G., Thermophysical Properties of Matter, Vol. I. IFI/Plenum, New York, (1970).Google Scholar
3 Chang, C.W., Gan, C.L., Thompson, C.V., Pey, K.L., Choi, W.K., and Chua, M.H., IEEE Proceedings of 10th IPFA, Singapore, p. 69, (2003)Google Scholar
4 Kondo, S., Ogasawara, K., Hinode, H., J. appl. Phys. 79, 15 (1996).Google Scholar