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A Quantitative Study of Void Nucleation Times in Passivated Aluminum Interconnects

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 February 2011

Jonathan C. Doan
Affiliation:
Materials Science and Engineering Department, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305
John C. Bravman
Affiliation:
Materials Science and Engineering Department, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305
Paul A. Flinn
Affiliation:
Materials Science and Engineering Department, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305
Thomas N. Marieb
Affiliation:
Components Research, Intel Corporation, Santa Clara, CA
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Abstract

Accelerated electromigration tests were performed in a High Voltage SEM (HVSEM). These experiments were conducted on 10 identical, passivated Al interconnect test structures at a temperature of 237°C and a current density of 30mA/µm2. Simultaneous testing and observation of the entire structure allowed the void nucleation times to be measured. Two normal distributions fit the nucleation times. The second of these distributions coincides roughly with the distribution of failure times of the test structures. Fracture of the passivation is hypothesized as the mechanism that causes the concurrent late nucleation and failure processes.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1998

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