Authors

P. R. Gadkari; A. P. Warren; R. M. Todi; R. V. Petrova;K. R. Coffey

Comments

Authors: contact us about adding a copy of your work at STARS@ucf.edu

Abbreviated Journal Title

J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A

Keywords

CAPILLARY INSTABILITIES; TEMPERATURE; Materials Science, Coatings & Films; Physics, Applied

Abstract

The stability of continuous metallic thin films on insulating oxide surfaces is of interest to applications such as semiconductor interconnections and gate engineering. In this work, we report the study of the formation of voids and agglomeration of initially continuous Cu, Au, Ru and Pt thin films deposited on amorphous thermally grown SiO2 surfaces. Polycrystalline thin films having thicknesses in the range of 10-100 nm were ultrahigh vacuum sputter deposited on thermally grown SiO2 surfaces. The films were annealed at temperatures in the range of 150-800 degrees C in argon and argon+3% hydrogen gases. Scanning electron microscopy was used to investigate the agglomeration behavior, and transmission electron microscopy was used to characterize the microstructure of the as-deposited and annealed films. The agglomeration sequence in all of the films is found to follow a two step process of void nucleation and void growth. However, void growth in Au and Pt thin films is different from Cu and Ru thin films. Residual stress and adhesion were observed to play an important part in deciding the mode of void growth in An and Pt thin films. Last, it is also observed that the tendency for agglomeration can be reduced by encapsulating the metal film with an oxide overlayer. (c) 2005 American Vacuum Society.

Journal Title

Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology A

Volume

23

Issue/Number

4

Publication Date

1-1-2005

Document Type

Article; Proceedings Paper

Language

English

First Page

1152

Last Page

1161

WOS Identifier

WOS:000230717200107

ISSN

0734-2101

Download

Share

COinS