Patent · US Expired

Compositions for improving interconnect metallization performance in integrated circuits

US6459153B1 · kind B1 · utility

5Cited by
4References
15Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateMay 12, 1999
Grant dateOct 1, 2002
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 12, 2019

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01L2924/3011
  • WIPO fieldSemiconductors
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A semiconductor device includes a substrate and a plurality of interconnect metallization lines defined over the substrate, each interconnect metallization line being provided with an electromigration-impeding composition including a percentage by weight of aluminum, a percentage by weight of copper, and a percentage by weight of zinc. The percentage by weight of zinc may be less than about 4 in solid solution in Al at 100 degrees C, which is a substantial increase in the Zn content over the about 0.5 weight percent of the Cu content in previously-used Al—Cu alloys. The percentage by weight of Zn may preferably range between about 1 and 2. The electromigration-impeding composition of the lines may include a structure of a solid solution of Al and Zn in the form of grains. The grains are bounded by grain boundaries. The structure further includes a precipitate of Al and Cu defined in the grain boundaries. Electromigration of the Al from the grain boundaries occurs and tends to cause the Al to electromigrate from the grains. The percentage by weight of Zn is selected to both define the solid solution with Al and to impede the electromigration of the Al from the grains. A method…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.