Bamboo Segments Research Articles

On stress evolution and interaction during electromigration in near bamboo structure lines

Electromigration-induced stress in near bamboo structure interconnects has been simulated by the finite element method. The maximum stress at the juncture of polygranular clusters and bamboo segments increases when the stress profile interacts with the line end. The maximum stress at final steady state depends on the relative location of the polygranular cluster in the line under the constant source boundary condition. Under the blocking boundary condition, the steady state stress profile (if it exists) is determined only by current density and total line length and is independent of the microstructure of the line. Finally, the ratio of effective diffusivity of the cluster to that of bamboo segments affects the magnitude of maximum stress at quasi-steady state.

Cluster interactions and stress evolution during electromigration in confined metal interconnects

In narrow metal interconnects used in advanced integrated circuits, electromigration flux divergences occur at the intersection between polycrystalline cluster segments (where grain boundaries offer a fast diffusion path), and bamboo segments (where there are no grain boundaries along the line length). In confined, passivated metal interconnects, these flux divergences are linked to the evolution of significant mechanical stresses in the metal. A quasisteady state stress distribution builds up quickly in the cluster segments and remains unchanged until the stress profiles between cluster segments begin to overlap, and the clusters begin to ‘‘interact.’’ A significant increase in stress above the quasisteady state can result from cluster interactions, increasing the potential for electromigration and stress-induced damage. If the cluster separation is small, this stress increase can occur on a time scale which is short compared to the stress evolution of the interconnect line as a whole.

Coupled Stress Evolution in Polygranular Clusters and Bamboo Segments in Near-Bamboo Interconnects

AbstractElectromigration-induced failure of near-bamboo interconnects depends strongly on the number and lengths of both polygranular clusters and bamboo segments in a line. We have used numerical techniques to calculate the stress profile as a function of position and time for near-bamboo lines with a variety of microstructures. Our results show that coupling of stress profiles between nearby clusters can affect the time to reach a pre-defined critical, or failure, stress. The degree of coupling depends both on the spacing between clusters and the ratio of the diffusivities between polygranular and single crystal regions. Electromigration failure is therefore sensitive to the distribution and lengths of bamboo segments, and the likelihood of long polygranular clusters coinciding with adjacent short bamboo segments.

The Effect of Cluster Interactions on Electromigration Induced Stress Evolution in Confined Metal Lines

AbstractIn near-bamboo interconnect lines used in advanced integrated circuits, electromigration flux divergences occur at the intersection between polycrystalline cluster segments (where grain boundaries offer a fast diffusion path), and bamboo segments (where there are no grain boundaries along the line length). For confined, passivated metal interconnects, these flux divergences are linked to the evolution of significant mechanical stresses in the metal. A quasisteady state stress distribution builds up relatively quickly in the cluster segments and remains unchanged until there is significant diffusion into the bamboo segments. The stress profile of a given cluster then becomes dependent on neighboring clusters as well as the diffusivity and flux in the separating bamboo segments. Previous analyses of electromigration failure in interconnect lines have focused on the distribution of cluster lengths and the stress build up in isolated cluster segments. In this paper, we show that the bamboo length distribution can strongly affect the interaction between clusters and the evolution of stresses in a near-bamboo interconnect during electromigration. We present simulation results, using a ratio of cluster to bamboo diffusivity Dc/Db=100, which show greater interactions and larger maximum stresses in cluster segments as the average bamboo segment length decreases and as the bamboo segment length distribution widens.

A Comparison of Electromigration in Bulk and Thin - Film Aluminum

AbstractThe dominant mode of electromigration in polycrystalline Al thin - film conductors is along grain boundaries when the conductor width is significantly larger than the grain size. Integrated circuit feature sizes, however, have now decreased to the point where microstructures are no longer polycrystalline, but are near - bamboo. Electromigration must operate along pathways other than grain boundaries in the bamboo segments. Here drift velocity data is presented for bamboo microstructures with widths down to 0.6 μm and compared with drift data available in the literature for thin films with a variety of microstructures and bulk Al. Bamboo films show lower drift velocities and higher activation energies for drift than polycrystalline films. The data for bamboo microstructures is consistent with drift measurements performed on bulk Al indicating that the transport mechanism in bamboo films is identical to that in bulk Al.

Microstructural Control of Internal Electromigration Failure in Narrow Al-Cu-Si Lines

AbstractAl-Cu lines of submicron width ordinarily have quasi-bamboo microstructures that contain both bamboo grains and polygranular segments. The usual mechanism of internal electro-migration failure in such lines involves the formation of a transgranular void across a bamboo grain at the upstream end of a long, polygranular segment. The voiding is preceded by the depletion of Cu from both the polygranular segment and the upstream bamboo grain. At least three metallurgical mechanisms are available to inhibit this failure mechanism and improve the useful lifetime of the line. First, the line can be annealed after patterning to break up long polygranular segments. Second, the line can be aged at relatively low temperature to stabilize the distribution of Cu and retard its depletion from polygranular segments. Third, the line can be subjected to reverse currents to restore the distribution of Cu and provide a Cu reservoir. Each of these methods has been demonstrated in the laboratory environment.

Early Electromigration Failure in Submicron width, Multilayer Al Alloy Conductors: Sensitivity to Stripe Length

ABSTRACTThe microstructure of Al alloy integrated circuit conductors strongly affects electromigration failure of the metallization. For submicron linewidths, the microstructure is usually near - bamboo, consisting of alternate polycrystalline and bamboo segments. These polycrystalline segments appear to be much more susceptible to electromigration - induced voiding than the bamboo regions. As a result, microstructural related early failures are a significant concern. In this study we systematically vary line - length to investigate the impact of random microstructural variations on the failure distribution parameters of narrow, multilayer (Ti/TiN/Al/TiN) Al alloy conductors. We show that early failures can occur in 0.6 μm wide stripes. The impact of early void formation on conductor failure, however, is dependent on the resistance failure criterion. By increasing the value, early failures may be eliminated in long line - lengths, suggesting that the resistance failure criterion may provide a means to control the impact of early voiding on the electromigration failure.