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Effect of Oxygen on the Degradation of Ti-Si-N Diffusion Barriers in Cu Metallization

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 February 2011

W. F. McArthur ,
K. M. Ring ,
B. Morgan ,
Q. Hurst ,
D. Serber ,
A. Clark  and
K. L. Kavanagh
W. F. McArthur
Affiliation:
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California, San Diego 92093-0407
K. M. Ring
Affiliation:
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California, San Diego 92093-0407
B. Morgan
Affiliation:
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California, San Diego 92093-0407
Q. Hurst
Affiliation:
Department of Physics and Astronomy, Arizona State University, 88287-1504
D. Serber
Affiliation:
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California, San Diego 92093-0407
A. Clark
Affiliation:
Sputtered Films Inc., Santa Barbara, CA
K. L. Kavanagh
Affiliation:
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California, San Diego 92093-0407
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Abstract

Amorphous Ti-Si-N thin films are effective barriers to Cu diffusion in integrated circuits that use Cu interconnects. These films are believed to fail as diffusion barriers due to crystallization and subsequent diffusion of Cu along grain boundaries. We prepare thin films of Ti-Si-N by RF magnatron co-sputtering of Ti and Si in Ar/N2. Ti-Si-N films with Si concentrations of 6 to 22% have resistivities <500μΩ-cm. In previous reports we have shown that Si pn-junction diodes metallized with 20nm Ti40Si15N45/Cu do not fail (increased reverse leakage current) until 600%C. When annealed, these films crystallize to yield TiN and Si3N4. In this work we have studied the effect of oxygen on the degradation of the barrier via TEM, diode I-V measurements, and RBS. Oxygen incorporated into the film deposition process improves the barrier effectiveness as measured by diode I-V reverse leakage current. We find no correlation between the amount of O2 in the process gas feed stream and the film composition with O resonance analysis (RBS) or crystallinity (TEM).

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 514: Symposium I – Advanced Interconnects & Contact Materials & Processes for… , 1998 , 321
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1998

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References

REFERENCES

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