AVS 47th International Symposium
    Semiconductors Wednesday Sessions
       Session SC+EL+SS-WeP

Paper SC+EL+SS-WeP15
Auger Depth Profile Analysis: Process Window Definition of 0.2 micron Aluminum RIE Interconnections

Wednesday, October 4, 2000, 11:00 am, Room Exhibit Hall C & D

Session: Poster Session
Presenter: C. Dziobkowski, IBM Corporation
Authors: C. Dziobkowski, IBM Corporation
L. Clevenger, IBM Corporation
M. Honda, Toshiba, Japan
R. Ramachandran, Infineon Technologies
Correspondent: Click to Email
For fabrication of devices with dimensions of less than 0.2 microns, processing requirements become more demanding. New design requirements for the 256 Mbit DRAM also have higher aspect ratios. Process temperature control becomes very important because of the effects of temperature on the RIE etch, theta-Al2Cu precipitate distribution and texture. Eventually, even the electrical properties are affected resulting in device shorts and open circuits. This paper gives a description of the methodology developed to provide Auger depth profile analysis to characterize the copper distribution in the AlCu metallurgy. Copper segregation at the Al/Ti interface also affects the RIE process etching window. The information obtained from the Auger depth profiles can be used to define a window for VLSI devices with these small dimensions.