Hostname: page-component-84b7d79bbc-g5fl4 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-25T09:06:47.255Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Stress Distribution and Mass Transport Along Grain Boundaries During Steady-State Electromigration

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 February 2011

M. Scherge ,
C. L. Bauer  and
W. W. Mullins
M. Scherge
Affiliation:
Department of Materials Science & Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, USA
C. L. Bauer
Affiliation:
Department of Materials Science & Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, USA
W. W. Mullins
Affiliation:
Department of Materials Science & Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, USA
Get access

Abstract

Stress distribution and mass flux in the plane of each grain boundary within a polycrystalline thin-film conductor have been calculated during electromigration for zero flux divergence (steady state) and various boundary conditions. Steady state, representing a balance between the (applied) electric and (induced) stress driving forces, is assumed to develop after a short transient time. Boundary conditions at the intersection of grain boundaries with the top and bottom conductor surfaces (surface junctions) and with the conductor edges (edge junctions) are assumed to be of two types: open (flux passes freely) and closed (zero flux). Flux is assumed to pass freely at the intersection of grain boundaries with each other (triple Junctions). Several grain boundary configurations are considered, including individual boundaries, single triple junctions, and combinations thereof, assuming that bottom surface junctions (conductor/ substrate interface) are closed and that top surface junctions are either open (bare conductor) or closed (passivation layer). Results clearly show the formation of incipient holes and hillocks near the intersection of triple junctions and/or closed (blocked) edge junctions with open surface junctions.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 338: Symposium – Materials Reliability in Microelectronics IV , 1994 , 341
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1994

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

REFERENCES

1. Blech, I. A. and Herring, C., Appl. Phys. Lett. 29, 131 (1976).Google Scholar
2. d'Heurle, F. M., Int. Mater. Rev. 34, 53 (1989).Google Scholar
3. Li, Z., Bauer, C. L., Mahajan, S. and Milnes, A. G., J. Appl. Phys. 72, 1821 (1992).Google Scholar
4. Balluffi, R. W. and Blakely, J. M., Thin Solid Films 25, 363 (1975).Google Scholar
5. Herring, C. in Structure and Properties of Solid Surfaces, Eds. Gomer, R. and Smith, C. S., University of Chicago Press (1952), p.5.Google Scholar
6. Génin, F. Y., Mullins, W. W. and Wynblatt, P., Acta metall. mater. 41, 3541 (1993).Google Scholar
7. Shatzkes, M. and Lloyd, J. R., J. Appl. Phys. 59, 3890 (1986)Google Scholar
8. Kirchheim, R., Acta metall. mater. 40, 309 (1992).Google Scholar
9. Nix, W. D. and Artz, E., Met. Trans. 23A, 2007 (1992).Google Scholar
10. Scherge, M., Bauer, C. L. and Mullins, W. W., to be published.Google Scholar
11. Bauer, C. L. and Mullins, W. W., Appl. Phys. Lett. 61(25), 2987 (1992).Google Scholar
12. Blech, I. A., J. Appl. Phys. 47, 1203 (1976).Google Scholar
13. Schreiber, H.-U., Thin Solid Films 175, 29 (1989).Google Scholar
14. Attardo, M. J., Rutlrdge, R. and Jack, R. C., J. Appl. Phys. 42, 4343 (1971).Google Scholar
15. Chuang, T. J. and Rice, J. R., Acta metall. 21, 1625 (1973).Google Scholar