Study of the microstructure of IC interconnect metallisations using analytical transmission electron microscopy and secondary ion mass spectrometry

The general goal of this work is to get a better insight in the different microstructural processes taking place in blanket Al(Si)(Cu) metallisations under variable conditions. Using analytical transmission electron microscopy and secondary ion mass spectrometry stable theta-CuAl2 precipitates are found distributed inhomogeneously in the z-direction of the metallisation with a peak near the substrate side of the metallisation. Additional heating creates larger theta-CuAl2 precipitates distributed inhomogeneously in the z-direction with a peak near the surface of the metallisation as well as in the vicinity of the substrate. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd