Analytical electron microscopy of grain boundaries in Al-Cu metallizations

Al with additions of Cu is commonly used as the conductor metallizations for integrated circuits, the Cu being added since it improves resistance to electromigration failure. As linewidths decrease to submicrometer dimensions, the current density carried by the interconnect increases dramatically and the probability of electromigration failure increases. To increase the robustness of the interconnect lines to this failure mode, an understanding of the mechanism by which Cu improves resistance to electromigration is needed. A number of theories have been proposed to account for role of Cu on electromigration behavior and many of the theories are dependent of the elemental Cu distribution in the interconnect line. However, there is an incomplete understanding of the distribution of Cu within the Al interconnect as a function of thermal history. In order to understand the role of Cu in reducing electromigration failures better, it is important to characterize the Cu distribution within the microstructure of the Al-Cu metallization.