Judith M. Rubino

Reduced electromigration of Cu wires by surface coating

Electromigration in on-chip Cu interconnections with a selective electroless metal coating, CoWP, CoSnP, or Pd, on the top surface of Cu damascene lines has been investigated. The 10–20 nm thick metal cap significantly improves electromigration lifetime by providing protection against interface diffusion of Cu which has been the leading contributor to metal line failure by electromigration.

Reduced Cu interface diffusion by CoWP surface coating

Electromigration in Cu interconnections with a 10-nm thick selective electroless CoWP coating on the top surface of Cu dual damascene lines has been investigated. The grain structures of the lines embedded in SiLK semiconductor dielectric ranged from bamboo-like to polycrystalline. CoWP coated structures exhibited a greatly improved Cu electromigration lifetime which was attributed to a reduction in Cu interface diffusion.

Atom motion of Cu and Co in Cu damascene lines with a CoWP cap

Electromigration of Cu and diffusion of Co in Cu damascene bamboo-like grain structure lines capped with CoWP have been studied for sample temperatures between 350 and 425 °C. Void growth from the Cu line/W via interface was observed. Bulk-like activation energy for electromigration of 2.4±0.2 eV was obtained for these samples suggesting that electromigration damage is greatly diminished for these on-chip Cu interconnections. The solubility and diffusivity of Co in Cu was determined from line resistance measurements of thermally annealed Cu lines which were affected by Co diffusion into the Cu line.