| Introduction | p. 1 |
| Trends and Challenges | p. 2 |
| Physical Limits and Search for New Materials | p. 5 |
| Challenges | p. 6 |
| Choice of Materials | p. 7 |
| Why Copper (Cu) Interconnects? | p. 7 |
| New Technologies | p. 15 |
| Multilayer Metal Architecture | p. 15 |
| Substrate Engineering | p. 16 |
| An Alternate Technology for Interconnects | p. 19 |
| Materials Used in Modern Integrated Circuits | p. 21 |
| Properties of Copper | p. 23 |
| Grain Size | p. 24 |
| Melting Temperature | p. 25 |
| Barrier Layer | p. 27 |
| Low-K Dielectric Materials | p. 28 |
| Polymers | p. 30 |
| Semiconductors | p. 33 |
| Silicon (Si) | p. 33 |
| Challenges and Accomplishments | p. 35 |
| Challenges | p. 35 |
| Accomplishments | p. 35 |
| Technologies of the 21st Century, and the Plan to Meet the Challenges | p. 38 |
| Ultra-Shallow Junction (USJ) | p. 40 |
| Circuit Design and Architecture Improvements | p. 41 |
| Performance and Leakage in Low Standby Power (LSTP) Systems | p. 42 |
| Introduction of New Materials and Integration Processes | p. ,43 |
| Nano-Materials | p. 44 |
| Superconductors | p. 45 |
| Integration Processes | p. 47 |
| Summary | p. 53 |
| References | p. 55 |
| Dielectric Materials | p. 67 |
| Introduction | p. 67 |
| Interlayer Dielectric (ILD) | p. 71 |
| Introduction | p. 71 |
| Mathematical Model | p. 74 |
| Selection Criteria for an Ideal Low-K Material | p. 76 |
| Search for an Ideal Low-K Material | p. 78 |
| Achievement | p. 83 |
| Impact of Low-K ILD Materials on the Cu-Damascene Process | p. 92 |
| Deposition Techniques | p. 95 |
| High-K Dielectric Materials | p. 97 |
| Introduction | p. 97 |
| Impact on Scaling and Requirements | p. 98 |
| Search for a Suitable High-K Dielectric Material | p. 99 |
| Deposition Technology for High-K Materials | p. 102 |
| Summary | p. 102 |
| References | p. 103 |
| Diffusion and Barrier Layers | p. 111 |
| Diffusion | p. 111 |
| Introduction | p. 111 |
| Transitional Effects | p. 113 |
| Mathematical Modeling of Diffusion in Cu-Interconnects | p. 114 |
| Grain Boundary (GB) Diffusion | p. 118 |
| Vacancy Diffusion | p. 120 |
| Drift Diffusion | p. 121 |
| Interdiffusion | p. 122 |
| Diffusion of Copper and Its Consequences | p. 122 |
| Precipitation | p. 124 |
| Barrier Layer for Cu-Interconnects | p. 125 |
| Theory | p. 125 |
| Ideal Barrier Layer | p. 126 |
| Barrier Layer Architecture | p. 126 |
| Interlayer Reactions | p. 128 |
| Influence of the Barrier Layer Properties on the Reliability of Cu-Interconnects | p. 132 |
| Low-K Dielectric-Barrier Layer | p. 135 |
| Reaction Rates | p. 135 |
| Influence of the Barrier Layer on the Electrical Conductivity of Cu-Lines | p. 139 |
| Influence of Barrier Layer Thermal Conductivity on Cu-Line | p. 141 |
| Classification of Barrier Layer | p. 144 |
| Properties of Different Barrier Layer Materials | p. 145 |
| Cap-Layer, Its Properties and Functions | p. 148 |
| Summary | p. 150 |
| References | p. 151 |
| Pattern Generation | p. 161 |
| Photolithography | p. 161 |
| Introduction | p. 161 |
| Resolution Limits of Optical Lithography | p. 164 |
| Deep Ultraviolet (DUV) Lithography | p. 168 |
| Reticles | p. 173 |
| Enhancement Techniques for Resolution | p. 175 |
| 157 nm Lithography | p. 179 |
| Chemically Amplified Resist (CA) | p. 183 |
| Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) Lithography | p. 185 |
| e-Beam Lithography (EBL) | p. 189 |
| Electron-Beam Resist | p. 192 |
| e-Beam Reticle | p. 195 |
| Step and Flash Imprint Lithography (SFIL) | p. 195 |
| Etching and Cleaning of Damascene Structures | p. 197 |
| Etching | p. 197 |
| Cleaning | p. 210 |
| Summary | p. 214 |
| References | p. 216 |
| Deposition Technologies of Materials for Cu-Interconnects | p. 223 |
| Introduction | p. 223 |
| Emerging Technologies | p. 224 |
| Cu-Damascene Process | p. 224 |
| Barrier Layer Requirements | p. 225 |
| Deposition Requirements | p. 225 |
| Thin Film Growth and Theory of Nucleation | p. 226 |
| Nucleation Theory | p. 227 |
| Instrumentation | p. 230 |
| Physical Vapor Deposition | p. 230 |
| Sputtering | p. 231 |
| Ionized Physical Vapor Deposition (IPVD) | p. 234 |
| Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) | p. 236 |
| Plasma Enhanced CVD (PECVD) System | p. 236 |
| Metal-Organic Vapor Deposition (MOCVD) | p. 238 |
| Low Temperature Thermal CVD (LTTCVD) System | p. 240 |
| Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) | p. 241 |
| Plating | p. 243 |
| History of Electroplating and Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) | p. 243 |
| DC Bath Chemistry | p. 244 |
| Electroplating of Copper Inside Damascene Architecture | p. 245 |
| Process Chemistry for Superconformal Electrodeposition of Copper | p. 247 |
| Electrochemical Mechanical Deposition (ECMD) | p. 248 |
| Influence of the Seed Layer on Electroplating | p. 249 |
| Electroless Deposition of Copper | p. 250 |
| Stress in Cu-Interconnects | p. 251 |
| Summary | p. 253 |
| References | p. 254 |
| The Copper Damascene Process and Chemical Mechanical Polishing | p. 267 |
| The Copper Damascene Process | p. 267 |
| Introduction | p. 267 |
| Conventional Metallization Technology | p. 270 |
| Cu-Damascene Metallization Technology | p. 271 |
| General Objectives and Challenges | p. 276 |
| Chemical Mechanical Polishing (CMP) and Planarization | p. 278 |
| Introduction | p. 278 |
| Chemical Mechanical Polishing (CMP) Technology | p. 279 |
| Copper Dishing Model | p. 285 |
| Slurry Chemistry | p. 286 |
| Particle Size Inside the Slurry | p. 287 |
| Relative Velocity of the Pad and Wafer | p. 289 |
| Pad Pressure | p. 289 |
| Pad-Elasticity | p. 289 |
| Pad Conditioning | p. 289 |
| Shallow Trench Isolation (STI) | p. 290 |
| Abrasive Free Polishing | p. 291 |
| End-Point Detection | p. 291 |
| Dry In Dry Out | p. 292 |
| Multi-Step Processing | p. 293 |
| Post-CMP Cleaning | p. 293 |
| CMP Pattern Density Issues | p. 295 |
| Summary | p. 296 |
| References | p. 296 |
| Conduction and Electromigration | p. 301 |
| Conduction | p. 301 |
| Introduction | p. 301 |
| Conduction Mechanism and Restrictions | p. 303 |
| Effect of Grain Boundary (GB) Resistance on the Conductivity of Cu-Interconnects | p. 311 |
| Effect of Grain Size and Morphology of the Substrate | p. 311 |
| Morphology of the Cu-Film and Its Influence on the Conduction (Electrical) Mechanism of Cu-Interconnects | p. 312 |
| Effect of Film Thickness on the Conductivity of Cu-Interconnects | p. 317 |
| Diffusion Related Impacts on the Conductivity of a Cu-Line | p. 318 |
| Cu-Line Stress and Its Consequences | p. 319 |
| Conduction of Heat Through Cu-Interconnects | p. 321 |
| Thermal Cycling (Annealing) Related Phenomena | p. 322 |
| Electromigration (EM) | p. 324 |
| p. 324 |
| Mechanism of Electromigration (EM) and Its Effects | p. 325 |
| Void Formation | p. 329 |
| Analytical Model on Stress Related EM | p. 330 |
| Effect of Microstructure of the Film on Mass Migration | p. 333 |
| Effect of Solute on Electromigration | p. 335 |
| Melting Temperature of a Metal and Its Effect on Grain Growth | p. 335 |
| Effect of Temperature on EM | p. 336 |
| Current Density and Its Effect on EM | p. 336 |
| Summary | p. 336 |
| References | p. 337 |
| Routing and Reliability | p. 347 |
| Routing | p. 347 |
| Introduction | p. 347 |
| Methods of Improving Interconnect Routings | p. 349 |
| Interconnect Routing Design | p. 351 |
| Challenges with High Density Routing | p. 359 |
| Cascaded Driver | p. 361 |
| Transmission Line Coupling | p. 361 |
| Clocking of High-Speed System | p. 361 |
| Reliability | p. 362 |
| Introduction | p. 362 |
| Reliability Issues Related to Cu-Interconnects | p. 365 |
| Measurements | p. 388 |
| Summary | p. 393 |
| References | p. 394 |
| Glossary (Copper Interconnects) | p. 405 |
| Index | p. 415 |
| Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved. |