Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Modeling of electromechanically-induced failure of passivated metallic thin films used in device interconnections

  • Published:
International Journal of Fracture Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A theoretical analysis is presented of the failure of metallic thin films used for device interconnections in integrated circuits. Failure is mediated by void dynamics, which is driven by surface electromigration and processing related residual thermal stresses in the films. The analysis is based on surface mass transport modeling coupled strongly with the electrostatic and elastic deformation problems in the metallic films. Special emphasis is placed on the combined effects on void dynamics of anisotropy both in surface diffusivity along a void surface and in the applied stress tensor. A systematic parametric study is carried out based on self-consistent numerical simulations of surface morphological evolution. Void dynamics is analyzed and results are presented for void morphological stability in terms of critical stress levels as a function of stress state and surface mobility anisotropy. Finally, the role of plastic deformation is discussed around crack-like features emanating from void surfaces in ductile metallic films based on results of molecular-dynamics simulations in Cu.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Allen, M.P. and Tildesley, D.J. (1990). Computer Simulation of Liquids. Oxford University Press, Oxford.

    Google Scholar 

  • Arzt, E., Kraft, O., Sanchez, J. E., Jr., and Nix, W. D. (1994). Electromigration failure by shape change of voids in bamboo lines. Journal of Applied Physics 76, 1563–1571.

    Google Scholar 

  • Besser, P. R. (1999). Mechanical strains and stresses in aluminum and copper interconnect lines for 0.18 μm logic technologies. American Institute of Physics Conference Proceedings 491, 229–239.

    Google Scholar 

  • Boularot, H. and Bradley, R. M. (1996). Mean-field theory of electromigration induced void drift and coalescence in metal thin films. Journal of Applied Physics 80, 756–761.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bower, A. F. and Freund, L. B. (1993). Analysis of stress-induced void growth mechanisms in passivated interconnect lines. Journal of Applied Physics 74, 3855–3868.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bower, A.F. and Freund, L.B. (1995). Finite element analysis of electromigration and stress induced diffusion in deformable solids. Materials Research Society Symposia Proceedings 391, 177–188.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clemens, B.M., Nix, W.D., and Gleixner, R.J. (1997). Void nucleation on a contaminated patch. Journal of Materials Research 12, 2038–2042.

    Google Scholar 

  • Crosby, K.M., Bradley, R.M., and Boularot, H. (1997). Electromigration-induced void drift and coalescence: Simulations and a dynamic scaling theory. Physical Review B56, 8743–8751.

    Google Scholar 

  • d'Heurle, F.M. and Rosenberg, R. (1973). Electromigration in thin films. Physics of Thin Films 7, 257–310.

    Google Scholar 

  • Foiles, S.M., Baskes, M.I., and Daw, M.S. (1986). Embedded-atom-method functions for the fcc metals Cu, Ag, Au, Ni, Pd, Pt, and their alloys. Physical Review B33, 7983–7991.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gao, H.J. (1995). Mass conserved morphological evolution of hypocycloid cavities: A model of diffusive crack initiation with no associated energy barrier. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London A448, 732–734.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gleixner, R.J., Clemens, B.M., and Nix, W.D. (1997). Void nucleation in passivated interconnect lines: Effects of site geometries, interfaces, and interface flaws. Journal of Materials Research 12, 2081–2090.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gray, L.J., Maroudas, D., and Enmark, M.N. (1998). Galerkin boundary-integral method for evaluating surface derivatives. Computational Mechanics 22, 187–193.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gray, L.J., Maroudas, D., Enmark, M.N., and D'Azevedo, E.F. (1999). Approximate Green's functions in boundary integral analysis. Engineering Analysis with Boundary Elements 23, 267–274.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gungor, M.R. and Maroudas, D. (1998a). Electromigration-induced failure of metallic thin films due to transgranular void propagation. Applied Physics Letters 72, 3452–3454.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gungor, M.R. and Maroudas, D. (1998b). Nonlinear analysis of the morphological evolution of void surfaces in metallic thin films under surface electromigration conditions. Surface Science 415, L1055–L1060.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gungor, M.R. and Maroudas, D. (1999a). Theoretical analysis of electromigration-induced failure of metallic thin films due to transgranular void propagation. Journal of Applied Physics 85, 2233–2246.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gungor, M.R. and Maroudas, D. (1999b). Nonhydrostatic stress effects on failure of passivated metallic thin films due to void surface electromigration. Surface Science 432, L604–L610.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gungor, M.R., Maroudas, D., and Gray, L.J. (1998). Effects of mechanical stress on electromigration-driven transgranular void dynamics in passivated metallic thin films. Applied Physics Letters 73, 3848–3850.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gungor, M.R., Gray, L.J., Zhou, S.J., and Maroudas, D. (1999). Modeling of failure in metallic thin films induced by stress and electromigration: A multiscale computational analysis. Materials Research Society Symposia Proceedings 538, 263–268.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gungor, M.R., Zhou, S.J., and Maroudas, D. (to be published). Molecular-dynamics study of the mechanism and kinetics of void growth in ductile metallic thin films.

  • Hao, T.-H. and Li, Q.M. (1998). Linear analysis of electromigration-induced void instability in Al-based interconnects. Journal of Applied Physics 83, 754–759.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ho, H.S., Gungor, M.R., and Maroudas, D. (1999). Theoretical analysis of faceted void dynamics in metallic thin films under electromigration conditions. Materials Research Society Symposia Proceedings 529, 27–32.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ho, P.S. (1970). Motion of inclusion induced by a direct current and a temperature gradient. Journal of Applied Physics 41, 64–68.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ho, P.S. and Kwok, T. (1989). Electromigration in metals. Reports of Progress in Physics 52, 301–348.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hu, C.-K. and Harper, J.M.E. (1998). Copper interconnections and reliability. Materials Chemistry and Physics 52, 5–16.

    Google Scholar 

  • Joo, Y.C. and Thompson, C.V. (1993). Evolution of electromigration-induced voids in single crystalline aluminum lines with different crystallographic orientations. Materials Research Society Symposia Proceedings 309, 351–356.

    Google Scholar 

  • Joo, Y.C. and Thompson, C. V. (1997). Electromigration-induced transgranular failure mechanisms in singlecrystal aluminum interconnects. Journal of Applied Physics 81, 6062–6072.

    Google Scholar 

  • Klinger, L. and Levin, L. (1995). Interface stability in an electric field. Journal of Applied Physics 78, 1669–1672.

    Google Scholar 

  • Klinger, L., Levin, L., and Srolovitz, D.J. (1995). Morphological stability of a heterophase interface under electromigration conditions. Journal of Applied Physics 79, 6834–6839.

    Google Scholar 

  • Klinger, L.M., Chu, X., Mullins, W.W., and Bauer, C.L. (1996). Grain-boundary slit propagation in an electric field. Journal of Applied Physics 80, 6670–6676.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kraft, O., Bader, S., Sanchez, J.E., Jr., and Arzt, E. (1993). Observation and modelling of electromigration-induced void growth in Al-based interconnects. Materials Research Society Symposia Proceedings 309, 199–204.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kraft, O. and Arzt, E. (1995). Numerical simulation of electromigration-induced shape changes of voids in bamboo lines. Applied Physics Letters 66, 2063–2065.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kraft, O. and Arzt, E. (1997). Electromigration mechanisms in conductor lines: Void shape changes and slit-like failure. Acta Materialia 45, 1599–1611.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kraft, O., Sanchez, J.E., Jr., Bauer, M., and Arzt, E. (1997). Quantitative analysis of electromigration damage in Al-based conductor lines. Journal of Materials Research 12, 2027–2037.

    Google Scholar 

  • Krug, J. and Dobbs, H.T. (1994). Current-induced faceting of crystal surfaces. Physical Review Letters 73, 1947–1950.

    Google Scholar 

  • Liu, C.-L., Cohen, J.M., Adams, J.B., and Voter, A.F. (1991). EAM study of surface self-diffusion of single adatoms of fcc metals Ni, Cu, Al, Ag, Au, Pd, and Pt. Surface Science 253, 334–344.

    Google Scholar 

  • Liu, C.-L. (1995). Diffusion mechanisms at fcc metal surfaces – Embedded atom method calculations. International Journal of Modern Physics B9, 1–44.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mahadevan, M. and Bradley, R.M. (1996). Stability of a circular void in a passivated, current-carrying metal film. Journal of Applied Physics 79, 6840–6847.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mahadevan, M. and Bradley, R.M. (1999). Simulations and theory of electromigration-induced slit formation in unpassivated single-crystal metal lines. Physical Review B59, 11037–11046.

    Google Scholar 

  • Maroudas, D. (1995). Dynamics of transgranular voids in metallic thin films under electromigration conditions. Applied Physics Letters 67, 798–800.

    Google Scholar 

  • Maroudas, D. and Pantelides, S.T. (1995). Theory and computer simulation of grain-boundary and void dynamics in polycrystalline conductors. Materials Research Society Symposia Proceedings 391, 151–162.

    Google Scholar 

  • Maroudas, D., Enmark, M.N., Leibig, C.M., and Pantelides, S.T. (1995). Analysis of damage formation and propagation in metallic thin films under the action of thermal stresses and electric fields. Journal of Computer-Aided Materials Design 2, 231–258.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rose, J.H. (1992). Fatal electromigration voids in narrow aluminum-copper interconnect. Applied Physics Letters 61, 2170–2172.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sanchez, J.E., Jr., McKnelly, L.T., and Morris, J.W., Jr. (1990). Morphology of electromigration-induced damage and failure in Al alloy thin film conductors. Journal of Electronic Materials 19, 1213–1220.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sanchez, J.E., Jr. and Morris, J.W., Jr. (1991). Microstructural analysis of electromigration-induced voids and hillocks. Materials Research Society Symposia Proceedings 225, 53–58.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sanchez, J.E., Jr., McKnelly, L.T., and Morris, J.W., Jr. (1992). Slit morphology of eletromigration-induced open circuit failures in fine line conductors. Journal of Applied Physics 72, 3201–3203.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sanchez,E., Jr., Kraft, O., and Arzt, E. (1992). Electromigration-induced transgranular slit failures in near bamboo Al and Al-2%Cu thin-film interconnects. Applied Physics Letters 61, 3121–3123.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schimschak, M. and Krug, J. (1997). Surface electromigration as a moving boundary value problem. Physical Review Letters 78, 278–281.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schimschak, M. and Krug, J. (1998). Electromigration-induced breakup of two-dimensional voids. Physical Review Letters 80, 1674–1677.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sorbello, R.S. (1991). Basic concepts in electromigration. Materials Research Society Symposia Proceedings 225, 3–13.

    Google Scholar 

  • Suo, Z., Wang, W., and Yang, M. (1994). Electromigration instability: Transgranular slits in interconnects. Applied Physics Letters 64, 1944–1946.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thompson, C.V. and Lloyd, J.R. (1993). Electromigration and IC Interconnects. MRS Bulletin 18 (12), 19–25.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang, W.Q., Suo, Z., and Hao, T.-H. (1996). A simulation of electromigration induced transgranular slits. Journal of Applied Physics 79, 2394–2403.

    Google Scholar 

  • Xia, L., Bower, A.F., Suo, Z., and Shih, C.F. (1997). A finite element analysis of the motion and evolution of voids due to strain and electromigration induced surface diffusion. Journal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids 45, 1473–1493.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yang, W., Wang, W., and Suo, Z. (1994). Cavity and dislocation instability due to electric current. Journal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids 42, 897–911.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yang, W.H. and Srolovitz, D.J. (1994). Surface morphology evolution in stressed solids-Surface diffusion controlled crack initiation. Journal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids 42, 1551–1574.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhang, Y.W., Bower, A.F., Xia, L., and Shih, C.F. (1999). Three-dimensional finite element analysis of the evolution of voids and thin films by strain and electromigration induced surface diffusion. Journal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids 47, 173–199.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemical Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA , 93106-5080, U.S.A.

    M. Rauf Gungor

  2. Department of Chemical Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA , 93106-5080, U.S.A.

    Dimitrios Maroudas

Authors
  1. M. Rauf Gungor
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Dimitrios Maroudas
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Gungor, M.R., Maroudas, D. Modeling of electromechanically-induced failure of passivated metallic thin films used in device interconnections. International Journal of Fracture 109, 47–68 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1011054731371

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1011054731371

Search

Navigation