Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-42gr6 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-24T14:41:18.983Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Channel Cracking Technique For Toughness Measurement Of Sioch Low-K Films

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2011

Helene Brillet-Rouxel ,
Michel Dupeux ,
Muriel Braccini  and
Stéphane Orain
Helene Brillet-Rouxel
Affiliation:
helene.brillet@st.com, STMicroelectronics, Mechanical & Thermal Simulations, 850 rue Jean Monnet, Crolles, N/A, 38926, France, +33 4 38 92 25 59
Michel Dupeux
Affiliation:
michel.dupeux@ltpcm.inpg.fr, LTPCM(CNRS/INPG/UJF), Domaine Universitaire BP75, Grenoble, N/A, 38041, France
Muriel Braccini
Affiliation:
muriel.braccini@ltpcm.inpg.fr, LTPCM(CNRS/INPG/UJF), Domaine Universitaire BP75, Grenoble, N/A, 38041, France
Stéphane Orain
Affiliation:
stephane.orain@philipscrolles.st.com, PHILIPS semiconductors, 860, rue Jean Monnet, Crolles, N/A, 38926, France
Get access

Abstract

The technique of channel cracking is used to study the crack growth in SiOCH low-k films. Various film thicknesses are produced using consecutive PECVD deposits on silicon substrates in up to the critical thickness for which spontaneous cracks appear. After determining mechanical properties and residual stresses of these films, samples are cleaved, and subjected to four-point bending tests. During the loading in ambient environment, cracks propagate from defects due to cleavage. Propagation of these cracks is observed in situ in order to correlate crack growth velocities to film thickness and total stress in the film. These results allow plotting crack growth rate versus stress intensity factor for crack velocity varying from 10-9 to 10-4 m/s for a stress intensity factor about 0.1 MPa√m. Moreover, in this range of velocities a model is proposed for this material to determine the film stress required to produce channel cracking, for a given film thickness.

Keywords

dielectricfracturemicroelectronics
Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 914: Symposium F – Materials, Technology and Reliability of Low-k Dielectrics and Copper Interconnects , 2006 , 0914-F03-05
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2006

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1 Weiderhorn, S.M., J. Am. Ceram. Soc. 59, 407 (1967).Google Scholar
2 Haussonne, J.M, Carry, C., Bowen, P., Barton, J., in Céramiques et verres : Principes et techniques d'élaboration, Traité des matériaux, Vol. 16 (2005), Etd by Presses Polytechniques et Universitaires Romandes, Lausanne, Switzerland.Google Scholar
3 Mc Elhaney, K.W., Ma, Q., Acta Materialia 52, 3621 (2004).Google Scholar
4 Carlotti, G., Cherault, N., Casanova, N., Goldberg, C., Socino, G., Thin Solid Films, 493,175 (2005).Google Scholar
5 Oliver, W.C., Pharr, G.M., J. Mater. Res. 19, 3 (2004).Google Scholar
6 Beuth, J.L., Int. J. Solids Struct. 29, 1657 (1992).Google Scholar
7 Ambrico, J.M., Jones, E.E, Begley, M.R., Int. J. Solids Struct. 39, 1443 (2002).Google Scholar