Nanoscale elastic imaging of aluminum/low-k dielectric interconnect structures

G. S. Shekhawat; O. V. Kolosov; G. A D Briggs; E. O. Shaffer; S. Martin; R. E. Geer

doi:10.1557/proc-612-d10.7.1

Nanoscale elastic imaging of aluminum/low-k dielectric interconnect structures

G. S. Shekhawat, O. V. Kolosov, G. A D Briggs, E. O. Shaffer, S. Martin, R. E. Geer

Materials Science and Engineering

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

A new characterization tool based on ultrasonic force microscopy (UFM) has been developed to image the nanometer scale mechanical properties of aluminum/low-k polymer damascene integrated circuit (IC) test structures. Aluminum and polymer regions are differentiated on the basis of elastic modulus with a spatial resolution ≤10 nm. This technique reveals a reactive-ion etch (RIE)-induced hardening of the low-k polymer that is manifested in the final IC test structure by a region of increased hardness at the aluminum/polymer interface. The ability to characterize nanometer scale mechanical properties of materials used for IC back-end-of-line (BEOL) manufacture offers new opportunities for metrological reliability evaluation of low-k integration processes.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	D171-D177
Journal	Materials Research Society Symposium-Proceedings
Volume	612
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1557/proc-612-d10.7.1
State	Published - 2000

Funding

The authors gratefully acknowledge J. Hummel and J. Liu for BCB test structure patterning/CMP, and support from the Dow Chemical Company, DARPA, MARCO, and the New York State Center for Advanced Thin Film Technology.

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General Materials Science
Condensed Matter Physics
Mechanics of Materials
Mechanical Engineering

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10.1557/proc-612-d10.7.1

Cite this

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title = "Nanoscale elastic imaging of aluminum/low-k dielectric interconnect structures",

abstract = "A new characterization tool based on ultrasonic force microscopy (UFM) has been developed to image the nanometer scale mechanical properties of aluminum/low-k polymer damascene integrated circuit (IC) test structures. Aluminum and polymer regions are differentiated on the basis of elastic modulus with a spatial resolution ≤10 nm. This technique reveals a reactive-ion etch (RIE)-induced hardening of the low-k polymer that is manifested in the final IC test structure by a region of increased hardness at the aluminum/polymer interface. The ability to characterize nanometer scale mechanical properties of materials used for IC back-end-of-line (BEOL) manufacture offers new opportunities for metrological reliability evaluation of low-k integration processes.",

author = "Shekhawat, {G. S.} and Kolosov, {O. V.} and Briggs, {G. A D} and Shaffer, {E. O.} and S. Martin and Geer, {R. E.}",

note = "Funding Information: The authors gratefully acknowledge J. Hummel and J. Liu for BCB test structure patterning/CMP, and support from the Dow Chemical Company, DARPA, MARCO, and the New York State Center for Advanced Thin Film Technology.",

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doi = "10.1557/proc-612-d10.7.1",

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pages = "D171--D177",

journal = "Materials Research Society Symposium-Proceedings",

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T1 - Nanoscale elastic imaging of aluminum/low-k dielectric interconnect structures

AU - Shekhawat, G. S.

AU - Kolosov, O. V.

AU - Briggs, G. A D

AU - Shaffer, E. O.

AU - Martin, S.

AU - Geer, R. E.

N1 - Funding Information: The authors gratefully acknowledge J. Hummel and J. Liu for BCB test structure patterning/CMP, and support from the Dow Chemical Company, DARPA, MARCO, and the New York State Center for Advanced Thin Film Technology.

PY - 2000

Y1 - 2000

N2 - A new characterization tool based on ultrasonic force microscopy (UFM) has been developed to image the nanometer scale mechanical properties of aluminum/low-k polymer damascene integrated circuit (IC) test structures. Aluminum and polymer regions are differentiated on the basis of elastic modulus with a spatial resolution ≤10 nm. This technique reveals a reactive-ion etch (RIE)-induced hardening of the low-k polymer that is manifested in the final IC test structure by a region of increased hardness at the aluminum/polymer interface. The ability to characterize nanometer scale mechanical properties of materials used for IC back-end-of-line (BEOL) manufacture offers new opportunities for metrological reliability evaluation of low-k integration processes.

AB - A new characterization tool based on ultrasonic force microscopy (UFM) has been developed to image the nanometer scale mechanical properties of aluminum/low-k polymer damascene integrated circuit (IC) test structures. Aluminum and polymer regions are differentiated on the basis of elastic modulus with a spatial resolution ≤10 nm. This technique reveals a reactive-ion etch (RIE)-induced hardening of the low-k polymer that is manifested in the final IC test structure by a region of increased hardness at the aluminum/polymer interface. The ability to characterize nanometer scale mechanical properties of materials used for IC back-end-of-line (BEOL) manufacture offers new opportunities for metrological reliability evaluation of low-k integration processes.

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JO - Materials Research Society Symposium-Proceedings

JF - Materials Research Society Symposium-Proceedings

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Nanoscale elastic imaging of aluminum/low-k dielectric interconnect structures

Abstract

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ASJC Scopus subject areas

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