Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Local Joule heating and overall resistance increase in void-containing aluminum interconnects

  • Special Issue Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Electronic Materials Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Local Joule heating and the overall resistance change due to void formation in aluminum interconnects were studied numerically. In the model the TiN/Al/TiN metallization stack is embedded within the SiO2 dielectric. Three-dimensional finite element analyses, taking into account the current shunting into the barrier layer and the coupling between heat conduction and electrical conduction, were carried out. The temperature field and overall resistance increase were obtained for various combinations of void geometry and applied current densities. It was found that the Joule heat produced at the void site is largely conducted away by the Alline, leading to only small temperature gradients along the interconnect. The voiding-induced temperature rise is significant only under very high current densities and when the void is very large. The overall resistance increase is dominated by the void geometry, not by the Joule heat and the inherent high resistivity of the barrier layer material.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. G.K. Rao, Multilevel Interconnect Technology (New York: McGraw-Hill, 1993).

    Google Scholar 

  2. P.R. Besser, D. Brown, C.R. Reilly, and J.E. Sanchez, Abstract in Materials Research Society 1999 Spring Meeting: Materials Reliability in Microelectronics IX.

  3. M. Genut, Z. Li, C.L. Bauer, S. Mahajan, P.F. Tang, and A.G. Milnes, Appl. Phys. Lett. 58, 2354 (1991).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Z. Li, C.L. Bauer, S. Mahajan, and A.G. Milnes, J. Appl. Phys. 72, 1821 (1992).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. B. Miner, T.S. Sriram, A. Pelillo, and S.A. Bill, MRS Symp. Proc. 473, 351 (1997).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. J.C. Doan, J.C. Bravman, P.A. Flinn, and T.N. Marieb, 37th Annual IEEE Int. Reliability Physics Symp. Proc. (Piscataway, NJ: IEEE, 1999), p. 206.

    Google Scholar 

  7. F.P. Incropera and D.P. Dewitt, Introduction to Heat Transfer, 3rd ed. (New York: Wiley, 1996).

    Google Scholar 

  8. D. Halliday, R. Resnick, and J. Walker, Fundamentals of Physics, 5th ed. (New York: Wiley, 1997).

    Google Scholar 

  9. S. Wolf, Silicon Processing for the VLSI Era, Vol. 2: Process Integration (Suns et Beach, CA: Lattice Press, 1990).

    Google Scholar 

  10. Y.-L. Shen, J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B 17, 2115 (1999).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. ABAQUS, Version 5.8 (Pawtucket, RI: Hibbit, Karlson and Sorensen, Inc., 1998).

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of New Mexico, 87131, Albuquerque, NM

    Y. L. Shen

Authors
  1. Y. L. Shen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Shen, Y.L. Local Joule heating and overall resistance increase in void-containing aluminum interconnects. J. Electron. Mater. 30, 367–371 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11664-001-0045-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11664-001-0045-8

Key words

Search

Navigation