Diffusion Barriers/Adhesion Promoters. Surface and Interfacial Studies of Copper and Copper-Aluminum Alloys

The focus of this research is to study the interaction between copper and the diffusion barrier/adhesion promoter. The behavior of copper sputter-deposited onto sputter-cleaned tantalum nitride is investigated. The data show that copper growth on tantalum nitride proceeds with the formation of 3-D islands, indicating poor adhesion characteristics between copper and Ta0.4N. Post-annealing experiments indicate that copper will diffuse into Ta0.4N at 800 K. Although the data suggests that Ta0.4N is effective in preventing copper diffusion, copper's inability to wet Ta0.4N will render this barrier ineffective. The interaction of copper with oxidized tantalum silicon nitride (O/TaSiN) is characterized. The data indicate that initial copper depositions result in the formation a conformal ionic layer followed by Cu(0) formation in subsequent depositions. Post-deposition annealing experiments performed indicate that although diffusion does not occur for temperatures less than 800 K, copper "de-wetting" occurs for temperatures above 500 K. These results indicate that in conditions where the substrate has been oxidized facile de-wetting of copper may occur. The behavior of a sputter-deposited Cu0.6Al0.4 film with SiO2 (Cu0.6Al0.4/SiO2) is investigated. The data indicate that aluminum segregates to the SiO2 interface and becomes oxidized. For copper coverages less than ~ 0.31 ML (based on a Cu/O atomic ratio), only Cu(I) formation is observed. At higher coverages, Cu(0) is observed. These data are in contrast with the observed behavior of copper metal deposited onto SiO2 (Cu/SiO2). The data for Cu/SiO2 show that copper does not wet SiO2 and forms 3-D nuclei. Furthermore, post-annealing experiments performed on Cu0.6Al0.4/SiO2 show that neither de-wetting nor diffusion of copper occurs for temperatures up to 800 K, while Cu diffusion into SiO2 occurs ~ 600 K. These data indicate that aluminum alloyed with copper at the SiO2 interface serves as an effective adhesion promoter and thermal diffusion barrier.

Grantor dc:publisher

University of North Texas

Year dc:date

2000

Author dc:creator

• Shepherd, Krupanand Solomon

Contributors dc:contributor

• Kelber, Jeffry A.
• Acree, William E. (William Eugene)
• Braterman, Paul S.
• Golden, David E.

• Copper.
• Copper alloys.
• Tantalum.
• Diffusion.
• Adhesion.
• Cu/SiO2
• copper diffusion
• tantalum nitride
• adhesion characteristics
• 3-D islands

Statement dc:rights

• Public
• Copyright
• Shepherd, Krupanand Solomon
• Copyright is held by the author, unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved.

Language dc:language

English

Identifier

oclc: 47566525
untcat: b2304437
https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc2603/
ark: ark:/67531/metadc2603

OAI identifier oai:identifier

info:ark/67531/metadc2603