Dynamic simulation of migration induced failure mechanism in integrated circuit interconnects

authored by: Aymen Moujbani, Jörg Kludt, Kirsten Weide-Zaage, Markus Ackermann, Verena Hein, Lutz Meinshausen
Abstract: At the moment the miniaturisation of integrated circuits for consumer electronics means to decrease the size of Cu interconnects below 100 nm, while a lifetime of 3-5 years has to be guaranteed. For industrial and automotive applications wider Al interconnects (∼350 nm) are used, but an extreme low rate of failures (0.1 ppm) has to be reached to produce reliable end-products including dozens of components. A further progress in the development of high-end electronics and more complex industrial products needs a better prediction of possible failure mechanism and the related time to failure of the chosen technology. This investigation is focused on migration induced void formation and combines the results of process simulations, for the back end of line, (intrinsic pre-stress) with the dynamic simulation of the migration induced material movement in the interconnects. To minimise the gap between idealized simulations and reliability tests the grain structure of the Al and Cu lines, the interaction between electromigration and the mass flux due concentration gradients, as well as the different transport mechanism for grain boundary and interface diffusion were taken into account. For the surrounding metal of existing voids specific activation energies in dependence on the crystal orientation of the metal surfaces were given. As result a prediction of the point of failure and the void formation process will be given for the chosen back-end technologies.
Organisation(s): Laboratorium f. Informationstechnologie
External Organisation(s): X-FAB Silicon Foundries SE
Type: Article
Journal: Microelectronics reliability
Volume: 53
Pages: 1365-1369
No. of pages: 5
ISSN: 0026-2714
Publication date: 09.2013
Publication status: Published
Peer reviewed: Yes
ASJC Scopus subject areas: Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials, Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics, Condensed Matter Physics, Safety, Risk, Reliability and Quality, Surfaces, Coatings and Films, Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Electronic version(s): https://doi.org/10.1016/j.microrel.2013.07.097 (Access: Unknown)