Abstract
AbstractTungsten nitride (WNx) thin films can be used as Schottky barriers in high power, high temperature semiconductor devices or as diffusion barriers between Cu, low-k dielectric and silicon because each application requires a thermally stable film. Therefore, it is important to understand the thin film properties of WNx as a function of deposition conditions and elevated temperature exposure. In this investigation, the influence of nitrogen content and post deposition annealing on the stress and microstructure of reactive dc magnetron sputter deposited WNx films was analyzed. With an increasing N2 to Ar flow ratio, the as-deposited crystal structure of the films changed from α-W to β-W to amorphous WNx and finally to W2N. Rapid thermal anneals up to 650°C resulted in large tensile stress increases and phase transformations to W2N in the nitrogen-containing films. Grain growth during annealing decreased as the concentration of nitrogen in the film increased. The nitrogen content in the films was determined using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS).
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