Nanoscale elastic imaging: a new metrology tool for low-k dielectric integration

Author

Shekhawat, G.S. ; Kolosov, O.V. ; Briggs, G.A.D. ; Shaffer, E.O. ; Martin, S.J. ; Geer, R.E.

Author_Institution

Center for Adv. Thin Film Technol., State Univ. of New York, Albany, NY, USA

fYear

2000

fDate

2000

Firstpage

96

Lastpage

98

Abstract

A new characterization tool based on ultrasonic force microscopy (UFM) has been developed to image the nanoscale mechanical properties of metal/low-k polymer damascence test structures. Metal and polymer regions are differentiated on the basis of elastic modulus with a spatial resolution ⩽10 nm. This technique reveals a RIE-induced hardening of the low-k polymer at the metal/polymer interface and offers new opportunities for metrological reliability evaluation of low-k integration processes

Keywords

atomic force microscopy; dielectric thin films; integrated circuit interconnections; nanotechnology; polymers; sputter etching; characterization tool; elastic modulus; hardening; low-k dielectric integration; metal/low-k polymer damascence test structures; nanoscale elastic imaging; reactive ion etching; ultrasonic force microscopy; Artificial intelligence; Dielectric constant; Dielectric materials; Integrated circuit interconnections; Metrology; Polymers; Silicon compounds; Surface topography; Testing; Ultrasonic imaging;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Interconnect Technology Conference, 2000. Proceedings of the IEEE 2000 International

Conference_Location

Burlingame, CA

Print_ISBN

0-7803-6327-2

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/IITC.2000.854293

Filename

854293