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Effects of growth and postgrowth parameters on the microstructure and copper distribution in Al(Cu)/SiO2 thin films

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Abstract

Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS), x-ray diffraction (XRD), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) have been employed to study sputter-deposited Al(Cu)/SiO2 films with as low as 0.2 at.% concentration of copper at the wafer target. It is shown that (1) copper concentration is not uniform throughout the film and (2) copper is depleted near the Al/SiO2 interface. The nonuniformity of copper at the interface has been discussed in terms of grain boundaries, their dynamics under film-growth conditions, and the nonuniformity’s consequences in microelectronic device fabrications.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Semiconductor Inc., 76017, Arlington, TX

    N. Hozhabri

  2. NSF Center for Electronic Materials, Device, and System, Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Texas at Arlington, 76019, Arlington, TX

    N. Hozhabri

  3. National Semiconductor Inc., University of Texas at Arlington, USA

    K. M. Watson

  4. Department of Physics, University of Texas at Arlington, USA

    S. C. Sharma

  5. Department of Physics, Texas A&M University-Commerce, 75429, Commerce, TX

    A. R. Chaurasia

Authors
  1. N. Hozhabri
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  2. K. M. Watson
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  3. S. C. Sharma
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  4. A. R. Chaurasia
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Hozhabri, N., Watson, K.M., Sharma, S.C. et al. Effects of growth and postgrowth parameters on the microstructure and copper distribution in Al(Cu)/SiO2 thin films. J. Electron. Mater. 31, L7–L10 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11664-002-0180-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11664-002-0180-x

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