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Subcritical Delamination of Dielectric and Metal Films from Low-k Organosilicate Glass (OSG) Thin Films in Buffered pH Solutions

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2011

Y. Lin ,
J. J. Vlassak ,
T. Y. Tsui  and
A. J. McKerrow
Y. Lin
Affiliation:
DEAS, Harvard University, 29 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
J. J. Vlassak
Affiliation:
DEAS, Harvard University, 29 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
T. Y. Tsui
Affiliation:
Silicon Technology Development, Texas Instruments Inc., Dallas, TX 75243, USA
A. J. McKerrow
Affiliation:
Silicon Technology Development, Texas Instruments Inc., Dallas, TX 75243, USA
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Abstract

Understanding subcritical fracture of low-k dielectric materials and barrier thin films in buffered solutions of different pH value is of both technical and scientific importance. Subcritical delamination of dielectric and metal barrier films from low-k organosilicate glass (OSG) films in pH buffer solutions was studied in this work. Crack path and subcritical fracture behavior of OSG depends on the choice of barrier layers. For the OSG/TaN system, fracture takes place in the OSG layer near the interface, while in OSG/SiNx system, delamination occurs at the interface. Delamination behavior of both systems is well described by a hyperbolic sine model that had been developed previously based on a chemical reaction controlled fracture process at the crack tip. The threshold toughness of both systems decreases linearly with increasing pH value. The slopes of the reaction-controlled regime of the crack velocity curves for both systems are independent of pH as predicted by the model. Near transport-controlled regime behavior was observed in OSG/TaN system.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 795: Symposium U – Thin Films - Stresses and Mechanical Properties X , 2003 , U8.1
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2004

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References

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