Diffusion barrier properties of nano-crystalline TiZrN films in Cu/Si contact systems

Ternary nitride TiZrN films with nano-crystalline grains of 2–10 nm in size and ∼90 μΩ cm in resistivity were successfully prepared as a material applicable to a thin diffusion barrier of low electrical resistivity. In the Cu/TiZrN/Si contact system, a TiZrN film with ∼10 nm thickness is the barrier adequate to suppress the extremely small quantity of Cu penetration into the Si substrate upon annealing at 600 °C for 1 h without significant structural change and solid-phase reaction. The observed stable nano-crystalline structure and chemically inert characteristic of TiZrN were the dominant features for the successful demonstration of high performance barrier properties of thin TiZrN films.