Hostname: page-component-7b7567c8c-kwt9d Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2026-11-15T01:01:43.179Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

In-Situ Observations of Electromigration-Induced Void Dynamics

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 February 2011

Richard Frankovic and
Gary H. Bernstein
Richard Frankovic
Affiliation:
Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556
Gary H. Bernstein
Affiliation:
Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556
Get access

Abstract

Electromigration void nucleation and growth is a failure mechanism of integrated circuit (IC) metallization. The time-to-failure of interconnect lines depends on the void nucleation time and the void growth time. While much work has been done to model the void nucleation stage, the current understanding of the void growth stage is minimal. The importance of characterizing the void growth and motion dynamics is essential to further explain electromigration performance of IC metal interconnections.

Electromigration-induced voids previously studied have been observed to grow, coalesce, and even heal, but quantitative information on these dynamics is lacking. This work uses high-resolution electron-beam lithography to define sub-micrometer voids of various sizes and shapes into gold lines in order to observe void growth and movement with respect to initial void size and shape. The electromigration-induced dynamic behavior of pre-defined voids was measured in a field-emission scanning electron microscope in-situ. Results showed these prepatterned voids can re-fill or grow, and can yield quantitative results on dynamic void behavior.

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.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

1. Black, J. R., Proc. IEEE, 57, 1587, (1969).Google Scholar
2. Shatzkes, M. and Lloyd, J. R., J. Appl. Phys., 59, 3890, (1986).Google Scholar
3. Korhonen, M. A., Borgesen, P., Tu, K. N., and Li, C-Y, J. Appl. Phys., 73, 3790, (1993).Google Scholar
4. Ghate, P. B., Proc. 20th. Ann. Rel. Phys. Symp., 292, (IEEE, New York, 1982).Google Scholar
5. Thomas, R. W. and Calabrese, D. W., Proc. 21st. Ann. Rel. Phys. Symp., 1, (IEEE, New York, 1983).Google Scholar
6. Levine, E. and Kitcher, J., Proc. 22nd. Ann. Rel. Phys. Symp., 242, (IEEE, New York, 1984).Google Scholar
7. Besser, P. R., Madden, M. C. and Flinn, P., J. Appl. Phys., 72, 3792, (1992).Google Scholar
8. Berenbaum, L., J. Appl. Phys., 42, 880, (1971).Google Scholar
9. Bazan, G. and Bernstein, G. H., J. Vac. Sci. Tech. A, 11, 1745, (1993).Google Scholar
10. Bernstein, G. H., Hill, D. A., and Liu, P., J. Appl. Phys., 71, 4066, (1992).Google Scholar
11. Shingubara, S., Nakasaki, Y., and Kaneko, H., Appl. Phys. Lett., 58, 42, (1991).Google Scholar
12. Shingubara, S., Kaneko, H., and Saitoh, M., J. Appl. Phys., 69, 207, (1991).Google Scholar
13. Castano, E., Maiz, J., Flinn, P., and Madden, M., Appl. Phys. Lett., 59, 129, (1991).Google Scholar
14. Marieb, T. N., Abratowski, E., Bravman, J. C., Madden, M., and Flinn, P., Stress-Induced Phenomena in Metallization, edited by Ho, P. S., Li, C-Y., and Totta, P., (AIP Proc. #305, New York, 1994) pp. 1–14.Google Scholar
15. Sanchez, J. Jr, McKnelly, L. T., and Morris, J. W. Jr, J. Electronic Mat., 19, 1213, (1990).Google Scholar
16. Genut, M., Li, Z., Bauer, C. L., Mahajan, S., Tang, P. F., and Milnes, A. G., Appl. Phys. Lett., 58, 2354, (1991).Google Scholar
17. Wong, C. C., Smith, H. I., and Thompson, C. V., Appl. Phys. Lett., 48, 335, (1986).Google Scholar
18. Huntington, H. B. and Grone, A. R., J. Phys. Chem. Solids, 20, 1057, (1961).Google Scholar