Microstructural Characterization of Copper Thin Films on Metallic Underlayers

ABSTRACTGrain size distribution and texture of thin films of sputtered copper were characterized as a function of underlayer choice, deposition temperature and annealing temperature. For Cu deposited on Ta at room temperature and annealed at 100, 150, 200 and 250 °C, abnormal growth of the (100) orientation was observed for annealing temperatures above 150 °C, resulting in a bimodal grain size distribution. This orientation was also seen to grow abnormally for films deposited and annealed under identical conditions, but with a W underlayer. (100) growth for this case was observed at annealing temperatures as low as 100 °C. Abnormal grain growth was suppressed for Cu deposited on Ta at 150 °C and annealed to 250 °C. A bimodal grain size distribution was observed in a similar sample deposited on W under identical conditions, however, the abnormally growing orientation for this case was observed to be the (111) orientation, not the (100) orientation.