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High Resolution Observation of Void Motion in Passivated Metal Lines Under Electromigration Stress

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 February 2011

Michael C. Madden ,
Edward V. Abratowski ,
Thomas Marieb  and
Paul A. Flinn
Michael C. Madden
Affiliation:
lntel Corporation, 2200 Mission College Blvd., Santa Clara, CA 95052
Edward V. Abratowski
Affiliation:
lntel Corporation, 2200 Mission College Blvd., Santa Clara, CA 95052
Thomas Marieb
Affiliation:
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305
Paul A. Flinn
Affiliation:
lntel Corporation, 2200 Mission College Blvd., Santa Clara, CA 95052
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Abstract

Using a 120 kV STEM equipped with a backscattered electron detector and operated as a conventional SEM. voids in metal lines can be detected through 1 μm of passivation. By applying current to passivated thin metal lines while in the microscope, voids can be observed while electromigration is in progress. Voids move significant distances during electromigration. On at least some occasions. failure of the line is not the result of a void growing until the width of the line is reached. On these occasions, when the size of the void approaches the width of the line. the void breaks up into smaller voids.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 265: Symposium H – Materials Reliability in Microelectronics II , 1992 , 33
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1992

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References

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