Impact of intermetal dielectric process on Al via electromigration reliability

Author

Liu, X. ; Lo, K.F. ; Chin, K.Y. ; Guo, Q. ; Teh, G.L.

Author_Institution

Reliability Eng. Group, Chartered Semicond. Manuf. Ltd., Singapore

fYear

1999

fDate

1999

Firstpage

60

Lastpage

63

Abstract

The impact of the intermetal dielectric (IMD) process on Al via electromigration (EM) reliability is investigated in this paper. Spin-on-glass (SOG) outgassing at the via was found to cause metal voiding at the via, resulting in high via resistance and EM degradation. Ar ion pre-sputter etch (PSE) of the via surface will contaminate the PSE chamber, which may affect via contact resistance as well as EM reliability. Standard wafer-level electromigration accelerated test (SWEAT) was found to be an effective tool for the evaluation and monitoring of EM performance

Keywords

aluminium; contact resistance; dielectric thin films; electromigration; failure analysis; integrated circuit interconnections; integrated circuit metallisation; integrated circuit reliability; integrated circuit testing; life testing; monitoring; outgassing; sputter etching; voids (solid); Al; Al via electromigration; Al via electromigration reliability; Ar ion pre-sputter etch; EM performance; EM reliability; IMD process; PSE chamber contamination; SOG outgassing; SWEAT; intermetal dielectric; intermetal dielectric process; metal voiding; monitoring; spin-on-glass outgassing; standard wafer-level electromigration accelerated test; via EM degradation; via contact resistance; via resistance; via surface; vias; Argon; Contact resistance; Degradation; Dielectrics; Electromigration; Etching; Life estimation; Surface contamination; Surface resistance; Testing;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Physical and Failure Analysis of Integrated Circuits, 1999. Proceedings of the 1999 7th International Symposium on the

Print_ISBN

0-7803-5187-8

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/IPFA.1999.791305

Filename

791305