Model based method for electro-migration stress determination in interconnects

Electro-migration (EM) failure in interconnects is one of the most important reliability considerations in current advanced semiconductor technologies. As the technology features are pushed to the limit and with the introduction of new materials and increased current densities to satisfy the performance demands, the EM failure risk is ever-increasing. In this paper we present a novel methodology based on a model-based approach where EM risk can be assessed for any interconnect geometry through an exact solution of the fundamental stress equations. This approach eliminates the need for complex look-up tables for different geometries and can be implemented in CAD tools very easily.