In situ transmission electron microscope observations of electromigration in copper lines at room temperature

C. N. Liao; K. C. Chen; Wen-Wei Wu; L. J. Chen

doi:10.1063/1.2081138

In situ transmission electron microscope observations of electromigration in copper lines at room temperature

C. N. Liao^*, K. C. Chen, Wen-Wei Wu, L. J. Chen

^*Corresponding author for this work

Department of Materials Science and Engineering

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

31 Scopus citations

Abstract

Atomic-scale electromigration (EM) in unpassivated copper metal lines was directly observed in ultrahigh vacuum at room temperature by transmission electron microscopy. It was found that copper atoms on a (211) crystal plane vanished directionally within half an hour when applying an electric current with a density of 2× 106 A cm2 through the tested Cu line. The EM-induced atomic migration appeared to be anisotropic, and the combination of {111} planes and 〈110〉 directions was suggested to be the easiest electromigration system for crystalline copper. EM-induced mass transport was also found to be responsible for the weakening (111) texture of the Cu lines after electric current stressing.

Original language	English
Article number	141903
Pages (from-to)	1-3
Number of pages	3
Journal	Applied Physics Letters
Volume	87
Issue number	14
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2081138
State	Published - 3 Oct 2005

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abstract = "Atomic-scale electromigration (EM) in unpassivated copper metal lines was directly observed in ultrahigh vacuum at room temperature by transmission electron microscopy. It was found that copper atoms on a (211) crystal plane vanished directionally within half an hour when applying an electric current with a density of 2× 106 A cm2 through the tested Cu line. The EM-induced atomic migration appeared to be anisotropic, and the combination of {111} planes and 〈110〉 directions was suggested to be the easiest electromigration system for crystalline copper. EM-induced mass transport was also found to be responsible for the weakening (111) texture of the Cu lines after electric current stressing.",

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AU - Liao, C. N.

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AU - Wu, Wen-Wei

AU - Chen, L. J.

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N2 - Atomic-scale electromigration (EM) in unpassivated copper metal lines was directly observed in ultrahigh vacuum at room temperature by transmission electron microscopy. It was found that copper atoms on a (211) crystal plane vanished directionally within half an hour when applying an electric current with a density of 2× 106 A cm2 through the tested Cu line. The EM-induced atomic migration appeared to be anisotropic, and the combination of {111} planes and 〈110〉 directions was suggested to be the easiest electromigration system for crystalline copper. EM-induced mass transport was also found to be responsible for the weakening (111) texture of the Cu lines after electric current stressing.

AB - Atomic-scale electromigration (EM) in unpassivated copper metal lines was directly observed in ultrahigh vacuum at room temperature by transmission electron microscopy. It was found that copper atoms on a (211) crystal plane vanished directionally within half an hour when applying an electric current with a density of 2× 106 A cm2 through the tested Cu line. The EM-induced atomic migration appeared to be anisotropic, and the combination of {111} planes and 〈110〉 directions was suggested to be the easiest electromigration system for crystalline copper. EM-induced mass transport was also found to be responsible for the weakening (111) texture of the Cu lines after electric current stressing.

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