Award Abstract #0300216
GOALI: Interconnect Processing Enhancement by Measurement of Nanoscale Dielectric Constant Degradation and Development of Experimentally Verified Models of Nanoscale Deformation

NSF Org:	CMMI Division of Civil, Mechanical, and Manufacturing Innovation
Initial Amendment Date:	June 19, 2003
Latest Amendment Date:	June 19, 2003
Award Number:	0300216
Award Instrument:	Standard Grant
Program Manager:	George A. Hazelrigg CMMI Division of Civil, Mechanical, and Manufacturing Innovation ENG Directorate for Engineering
Start Date:	July 1, 2003
Expires:	June 30, 2007 (Estimated)
Awarded Amount to Date:	$399465
Investigator(s):	Todd Gross todd.gross@unh.edu (Principal Investigator) Igor Tsukrov (Co-Principal Investigator)
Sponsor:	University of New Hampshire Service Bldg., Room 111 Durham, NH 03824 603/862-1234
NSF Program(s):	NANOMANUFACTURING, GRANT OPP FOR ACAD LIA W/INDUS
Field Application(s):	0308000 Industrial Technology
Program Reference Code(s):	MANU, 9146, 1504, 1049
Program Element Code(s):	1788, 1504

ABSTRACT

This research combines experimental and modeling activities that are integrated by the use of scanning force microscopy to measure the effects of different processing parameters on dielectric properties and deformation in Cu-damascene interconnect structures with nanoscale resolution. We utilize electrostatic force microscopy to detect undesirable dielectric constant gradients that are caused by plasma processing during dielectric deposition, reactive ion etching of the circuit pattern, oxidizing plasma removal of photoresist, and adhesion enhancement with inert gas plasmas. This will help optimize plasma processing parameters to minimize or eliminate dielectric degradation during manufacturing. In our study of nanoscale deformation, scanning force microscopy (SFM) is used to measure the out-of-plane deformation resulting from thermal cycling with nanometer scale resolution. In parallel, finite element strategies to model interfacial sliding and diffusive deformation are being developed and used to predict deformation in interconnect structures. These predictions are validated using our SFM method so the models can be used as reliable design tools to predict deformation during thermal processing.



The broader technological impacts of this work include a significant collaboration between UNH and two major semiconductor manufacturers, IBM and Intel, technology transfer of a new dielectric imaging technique to industry and a development of an experimentally verified model of nanoscale deformation that will be useful to the interconnect industry and other nanomanufacturing areas such as MEMS and NEMS. The broader educational impacts include graduate education in a technologically important area, incorporation of a real world project in undergraduate engineering courses, and enhanced participation of women in science by the support of a female graduate student in an interdisciplinary setting.

PUBLICATIONS PRODUCED AS A RESULT OF THIS RESEARCH

I.Tsukrov and J.Novak. "Effective elastic properties of solids with two-dimensional inclusions of irregular shapes," International Journal of Solids and Structures, v.41, 2004, p. 6905.

Todd S. Gross, Shaoning Yao, and Sri Satyanarayana. "Nanoscale observation of dielectric damage to low k MSQ nterconnects from reactive ion etching and ash treatment," Materials Research Society Symposium Proceedings, v.863, 2005, p. 165.

V.Grychanyuk, I.Tsukrov and T.Gross. "Numerical modelling of grain boundary effects in the diffusional creep of copper interconnect lines," International Journal of Fracture, v.127, 2004, p. L149.

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