Communication—Exploration of Plasma Oxidized Copper Oxide as a Copper Passivation Layer

Abstract

Passivation properties of the plasma oxidized copper oxide on the copper line have been studied using the electromigration stress method. The self-aligned copper oxide passivation layer has the unique property of gettering copper atoms diffused through it at the high temperature raised from the stress current induced Joule heating. On the other hand, the line broken time is shortened with the increase of the copper oxide passivation layer thickness. Therefore, for the passivation application, a thin copper oxide layer is better than a thick copper oxide layer.