The Effects of Processing on the Microstructure of Copper Thin Films on Tantalum Barrier Layers

Abstract

abstractPreferred crystallographic orientation and grain size distribution were characterized as a function of processing for sputtered Cu films on Ta underlayers. The Ta barrier layer was deposited at two temperatures, 30 and 100 °C. Cu was deposited at 30, 150 and 250 °C on the 30 °C Ta, and at 100, 150, 200 and 250 °C on the 100 °C Ta. In the first set of samples, with increasing deposition temperature, the Cu (111) fiber texture grew weaker and the volume fraction of randomly oriented grains increased from 0.23 to 0.74. In contrast, for the films deposited on the 100 °C Ta, with increasing deposition temperature, Cu (111) fiber texture strengthened and the fractions of randomly oriented and twinned grains decreased. Grain size was lognormally distributed in all samples and varied approximately parabolically with deposition temperature. At a given deposition temperature, median grain size in the Cu was larger in the films deposited on the 100 °C Ta. These results will be related to the microstructure of the Ta underlayers. Cu microstructure on the 100 °C Ta is shown to be influenced by textural inheritance from the Ta underlayer. Microstructure of the Cu on 30 °C Ta is discussed in terms of trace contaminants.