Effect of energetic neutralized noble gas ions on the structure of ion beam sputtered thin metal films

1987 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 44-51 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Kay ◽  
F. Parmigiani ◽  
W. Parrish
Keyword(s):  
Noble Gas ◽  
Ion Beam ◽  
Metal Films ◽  
Thin Metal ◽  
Thin Metal Films

Microstructure Control for Thin Film Metallization

1996 ◽  
Vol 441 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. S. Was ◽  
D. J. Srolovitz ◽  
Z. Ma ◽  
D. Liang
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Molecular Dynamics ◽  
Surface Roughness ◽  
Ion Beam ◽  
Metal Films ◽  
Fiber Texture ◽  
Thin Metal ◽  
Thin Metal Films ◽  
Ion Beam Assisted Deposition ◽  
Hillock Formation

AbstractA strategy was developed for controlling hillock formation in thin metal films by controlling the fiber texture to be of a relatively “weak” orientation. Two-dimensional molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were performed to determine the parameter dependencies of texturing under ion beam assisted deposition. Simulations showed that even for film orientations that have a lower number of nearest neighbor surface bonds, the reduction in sputtering rate by ion channeling will favor the growth of the grains aligned with their channeling direction in the direction of the ion beam. Higher energies should result in greater sputtering and a higher surface roughness. Confirmatory experiments were performed by growing Al films using ion beam assisted deposition in which the Ne ion beam was normal to the substrate surface. For all energies above 0 eV/atom, the fiber texture contained a (220) component and, at high normalized energies, the fiber texture was heavily (220) dominated. Subsequent annealing at 450°C for 30 min. resulted in hillock formation in the PVD (physical vapor deposition) condition, a reduction in the hillock density by two orders of magnitude in the 120 eV/atom condition and complete elimination of hillocking above 800 eV/atom. Although the surface roughness increased with ion beam energy as modeled by MD, the surface became smoother during annealing. These results show that the fiber texture can be controlled in a thin metal film in such a way as to eliminate hillock formation, that molecular dynamics simulation is a valuable predictive tool for guiding experiments in the development of thin film microstructures and that ion beam assisted deposition is an effective, practical tool for controlling microstructures of thin metal films.

Measuring Plasticity in Confined Cu Thin Films at Different Geometries

2015 ◽  
Vol 651-653 ◽  
pp. 987-992
Author(s):  
Yang Mu ◽  
Wen Jin Meng
Keyword(s):  
Thin Films ◽  
Ion Beam ◽  
Axial Direction ◽  
Metal Films ◽  
Shear Loading ◽  
Thin Metal ◽  
Thin Metal Films ◽  
Cu Films ◽  
Testing Protocol ◽  
Micro Pillars

We report quantitative measurement of plasticity in confined Cu thin films with a new micro-pillar testing protocol. Polycrystalline Cu and CrN thin films were sequentially sputter deposited onto Si (100) substrates, forming thin film assemblies in which polycrystalline Cu thin films of various thicknesses were confined between non-deforming Si and CrN. Cylindrical micro-pillars of CrN/Cu/Si were fabricated through scripted focused Ga+ ion beam milling, with the interfaces either normal to the axial direction or at a 45° inclination. The CrN/Cu/Si micro-pillars were compression loaded in the axial direction with a flat diamond punch on an instrumented nanoindenter. The axial compression loading caused extensive plasticity within the thin Cu interlayers with the interfaces in both the normal and inclined orientations, but with distinctly different responses. We show that significant plastic flow occurs within the confined Cu thin films in both normal compression and shear loading. The flow stress of the confined Cu films is dependent on the Cu layer thickness and the deformation geometry. The presently described micro-pillar testing protocol offers quantitative evaluation of the plastic response of thin metal films under different deformation geometries. The present results offer new experimental examples of scale-dependent plasticity in thin metal films, and new experimental test cases for non-local plasticity theories.

Metal Microstructures in Advanced CMOS Devices

1996 ◽  
Vol 54 ◽  
pp. 358-359
Author(s):  
L. M. Gignac ◽  
K. P. Rodbell
Keyword(s):  
Grain Boundaries ◽  
Semiconductor Device ◽  
Chemical Vapor ◽  
Microstructural Characterization ◽  
Metal Films ◽  
Thin Metal ◽  
Electrical Performance ◽  
Thin Metal Films ◽  
Chemical Vapor Deposited ◽  
Boundary Properties

As advanced semiconductor device features shrink, grain boundaries and interfaces become increasingly more important to the properties of thin metal films. With film thicknesses decreasing to the range of 10 nm and the corresponding features also decreasing to sub-micrometer sizes, interface and grain boundary properties become dominant. In this regime the details of the surfaces and grain boundaries dictate the interactions between film layers and the subsequent electrical properties. Therefore it is necessary to accurately characterize these materials on the proper length scale in order to first understand and then to improve the device effectiveness. In this talk we will examine the importance of microstructural characterization of thin metal films used in semiconductor devices and show how microstructure can influence the electrical performance. Specifically, we will review Co and Ti silicides for silicon contact and gate conductor applications, Ti/TiN liner films used for adhesion and diffusion barriers in chemical vapor deposited (CVD) tungsten vertical wiring (vias) and Ti/AlCu/Ti-TiN films used as planar interconnect metal lines.

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