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Why are copper circuits the future of microchips? Uncover the wonderful secrets of metal wires!
With the rapid advancement of technology, microchips have become increasingly powerful, all thanks to the rise of copper circuits. Since 1997, copper circuits were first launched by IBM and Motorola, becoming a major advancement in integrated circuits compared to traditional aluminum circuits.
Copper conducts electricity better than aluminum, which allows integrated circuits using copper to achieve smaller wire sizes, thereby reducing power consumption and achieving better performance.
This shift not only improves the performance of microchips, but also requires major changes in corresponding manufacturing technologies. In addition, the use of copper has prompted manufacturers to develop completely new patterns to ensure that metal conductors are clear and precise. To achieve this, scientists created a model called the "Damascene process," which is a modern interpretation of traditional metal inlay technology.
The evolution of Damascene craftsmanship
The biggest challenge facing the traditional copper circuit extrusion process is the inability to use plasma to etch copper. This shortcoming has prompted experts to rethink the metal patterning process. This process is no longer a traditional subtractive process, but an additive process. First, grooves are made on the silicon oxide of the insulating layer, and then copper is filled.
The Damascene process enables the successful filling of copper materials, thereby forming a multi-layer interconnect structure within the semiconductor, thereby improving storage and processing efficiency.
The necessity of barrier metal
However, the characteristics of copper also bring challenges, the most critical of which is the diffusion of copper atoms into surrounding materials. Since copper is "poisonous" to silicon, a metal layer is required to limit the diffusion of copper atoms. Determining the thickness of the barrier metal layer is critical. Too thin and the effect may be lost, while too thick will increase the overall resistance and fail to take advantage of copper's advantages. Scientists continue to seek new materials to replace traditional barrier metals.
Electromigration resistance
Copper performs better than aluminum in electromigration, allowing greater current to pass at the same size. This property is critical to the microchip's stability, especially in the face of growing data demands in the future.
Electromigration has a significant impact on metal wires. Poor electromigration resistance may cause wires to deform or even break. Copper exhibits higher resistance, promoting its application in higher data traffic environments.
The emergence of super conformal plating technology
With the further improvement of process technology, the frequency of processors exceeded 3GHz in 2005. The problem caused by this is that the capacitive coupling of the interconnect has become a limiting factor in speed. Therefore, technology that combines low-resistance copper with low-dielectric-constant materials began to flourish, forming a "copper revolution."
Future Outlook
From the early days of using copper in integrated circuits to now that it has become the core material of microchips, this process has witnessed the wonderful evolution of science and technology. With the advancement of manufacturing technology, materials with more potential may appear in the future. If copper encounters its own physical limits or encounters new challenges in a high-efficiency operating environment, what kind of metal or material will replace it? ?
The success of copper circuits not only means a change in technology, but also represents the opening of countless possibilities. Will human research and development of microchips lead to the next technological breakthrough?
