Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Thin Al-Si-Ge Films

Abstract

AbstractThe mechanical properties are thought to play an important role in the performance of metallization materials for very large scale integration (VLSI) applications. From recent investigations on bulk materials it is known that Al-Si-Ge alloys can be very efficiently strengthened with only a small amount of the alloying elements. These alloys are potential candidates for future metallizations both because Si and Ge are compatible with the existing semiconductor technology, and because the resistivity is expected to be low.We present the first results of detailed characterizations of Al-Si-Ge thin films as a function of sputter conditions and heat treatments. The microstructure was characterized using x-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. The kinetics of precipitation were studied using resistance measurements. Room temperature hardness was investigated using nanoindentation, and the mechanical properties at temperatures up to 240°C were examined using a substrate curvature method. The correlation between precipitate structure and film properties is discussed.