Characterization in Silicon Processing

4

Aluminum-

and

Copper-Based Conductors

DAVID FANGER and ROGER

TONNEMAN

Contents

4.1

Introduction

4.2 Film Deposition

4.3 Film

Growth

4.4 Encapsulation

4.5 Reliability Concerns

4.1

Introduction

Aluminum and its

alloys

are currently the

most

widely used interconnect material

for silicon-based integrated circuits (ICs). This chapter describes the techniques

used to deposit interconnect metallization as well as some of the problems associ-

ated with interconnect deposition and delineation. Whenever possible, examples

of the usage of

analytical

techniques are given, along with the limitations of these

techniques.

History

Initially,

a wide range