Suguru Tashiro

Effect of the Purity of Plating Materials on the Reduction of Resistivity of Cu wires for Future LSIs

Resistivity difference between Cu wires made with plating using high purity (new plating process) and conventional purity (conventional process) materials has been evaluated in order to develop the process for the realization of high performance LSIs. This resistivity difference is relatively small, i.e., 8% when line width is wide (200 nm). However, it increases with the decrease in line width, and it reaches about 20%, i.e., 2.8 μΩ cm for the former and 3.5 μΩ cm for the latter at 50 nm line width. A 50 nm wide Cu wire formed with the new plating process had more uniform and larger grain sizes and lower impurity concentrations than the wire formed with the conventional process.

The Development of an Innovative Process of Large Grained and Low Resistivity Cu Wires for less than hp 45nm ULSI

We have developed an innovative process to create large grained and low resistivity Cu wires for less than hp 45 nm ULSIs. The resistivity of the 50 nm wide Cu wires by an innovative high purity process is found to be 21% lower than those created by the conventional process. It was also found that Cu wires formed with the new high purity process have larger grains with a smaller spread and a lower impurity concentration than those made with the conventional process. This innovative new process is expected to be a powerful candidate for created Cu wire of less than hp 45 nm ULSIs.

Diffusion Coefficient Determination of Sodium Iodide Vapor in Rare Gases with Use of Ionization Sensor

The diffusion coefficients of sodium iodide vapor in the rare gases, argon, krypton and xenon, are determined by a method combining the analysis of measured diffusing mass with continuous monitoring of the sodium iodide vapor concentration in a flowing stream of sodium iodide-rare gas mixture. The flowing sodium iodide vapor is ionized upon its passage over a heated filament, and the generated ions are collected by a negatively-charged arched plate saddling the filament. The resulting ion current, measured by digital current meter, is integrated in time to obtain cumulative values from outset of run. The curve of the integrated values plotted against time approaches linearity with progress of run. The asymptote of the curve intersects the time axis at a point whose position serves to determine the diffusion coefficient, by applying an equation derived from the formula given by Carslaw and Jaeger. The coefficients thus determined for the three rare gases in runs at temperatures between 660°C and 710°C have proved to agree well with the values estimated using the semi-empirical correlation presented by Wilke and Lee.

Crystal Structure of Pr3MgNi14Dx Studied by in Situ Neutron Diffraction

The crystal structure of Pr3MgNi14D18 was determined by neutron diffraction. The determined structure of Pr3MgNi14D18 consisted of 89.0% Gd2Co7-type structure and 11.0% PuNi3-type structure. The lattice parameters of a and c of Gd2Co7-type structure were refined at 0.52903(7) nm and 3.90179(1) nm. The deuterium atoms were distributed among nine deuterium sites in both the CaCu5-type and MgZn2-type cells. The D2 occupancy in the Pr2Ni4 octahedral sites of the CaCu5-type cell was the largest (0.75) when compared with the other deuterium sites (<0.49). The deuterium content of the CaCu5-type cell showed 0.75 D/M, but the D/M value of the MgZn2-type cell was 1.53. The volume expansions during deuteration of the CaCu5-type and MgZn2-type cells were nearly equal. The cyclic hydrogenation property of Pr3MgNi14 is comparable to that of LaNi5. It is inferred that the similar expansion behavior of the CaCu5-type and MgZn2-type cells during deuteration is the origin of this cyclic stability.

Crystal Structure Analysis of La2Ni6CoD(x) During Deuterium Absorption Process.

The crystal structures of La2Ni6CoD(x) (x = 5.2 and 9.6) were determined by in situ neutron diffraction along the P-C isotherm. La2Ni6CoD(5.2) (phase I) was found to be orthorhombic with lattice parameters a = 0.500670(2) nm, b = 0.867211(4) nm, and c = 2.99569(7) nm. The 10 deuterium sites were located in the MgZn2-type and CaCu5-type cells, with deuterium contents of 0.95 D/M and 0.39 D/M, respectively. The full deuteride La2Ni6CoD(9.6) (phase II) was monoclinic with lattice parameters a = 0.516407(3) nm, b = 0.894496(6) nm, c = 3.11206(1) nm, and β = 90.15(1)°. The phase II had 11 sites for deuterium occupation. The deuterium contents of the MgZn2-type and the CaCu5-type cell were 1.63 D/M and 0.78 D/M, respectively. The sequence of phase transformation of La2Ni6Co was hexagonal, followed by orthorhombic (phase I), and then monoclinic (phase II), for the first absorption process. The phase transformation resulted in lowered symmetry and the variation of deuterium atom occupation.

Transport and Deposition of Halide in Alkali Metal-Stainless Steel Systems, (IV)Measurement of Sodium Iodide Solubility in Sodium with Major Constituents of Stainless Steel and Oxide in Sodium

Solubility of sodium iodide in sodium is measured separately (a) with concentrations of major constituents leached from stainless steel in sodium and (b) with controlled concentration of oxide in sodium by the use of stainless steel capsule. The capsules loaded with 20 g sodium and 0.1–0.3 g powder of additives are heated at their upper part in a furnace and cooled at their bottom on brass plates. a. After a given period of run for sodium iodide equilibration, the distribution of the iodide and constituents is fixed in solidified sodium by quenching the capsules. Sodium samples taken from the sectioned capsule tube are submitted to sodium dissolution by steam for determining the iodide and to vacuum distillation for determining the constituents. The iodide solubility appears to be in a reverse correlation with concentrations of iron and nickel and to be insensitive to change in those of chromium, manganese and silicon. b. After a given period of run for sodium oxide equilibration, the sodium is solidified by quenching the capsule. Deposits on the capsule bottom is removed by sectioning the capsule tube and crystals of sodium iodide are introduced to the sectioned capsule on which an end plug is seal-welded. The capsule is again set under the large temperature gradient for a period of run for iodide equilibration. After fixing the iodide distribution in solidified sodium by the quenching, sodium samples are taken from the sectioned capsule tube and submitted to the sodium dissolution by steam for determining iodide in sodium. The iodide solubility data obtained from the present measurement are observed to be scarcely affected by the oxide concentration.