Interfacial adhesion of thin-film patterned interconnect structures

The interfacial adhesion of lithographically patterned thin film structures has been measured. Fracture mechanics techniques, modified for thin-film geometries, were employed to quantify the interfacial adhesion of patterned arrays containing low-k and Cu metal lines with varying channel length scales, aspect ratios and orientations. The results indicate that interfacial adhesion may be affected by the line structures and their orientation. In addition, the fracture resistance of debonded interface was dependent on the specific low-k material employed in the structure.