A Study on unique Crystal Morphology observed in the Polycrystalline Copper CVD

Abstract

ABSTRACTNanostructure copper whisker growth was observed in an atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition (CVD) system, which used copper acetylacetonate vapor and 10-15 torr of water vapor as reactants, with 0.04-0.10 torr of chromium acetylacetonate vapor added as growth promoting catalyst. Water vapor initiated nucleation of these helical, spiral shape Cu(111) and (200) polycrystalline whiskers. While chromium acetylacetonate accelerated the growth rate. Copper whiskers had radii from 0.1 to 0.24 μm, lengths from 1 to 10 μm, and distribution density of 0.20-3.6 whiskers/μm2. Dependence of such whisker characteristics on temperature, partial pressures of H2O and chromium acetylacetonate was used to construct a kinetic model. From the Arrhenius equation, data analysis for whisker growth rate against deposition temperature showed that the activation energy for whisker growth along radial direction is 12.4 kcal/mol, and 19.6 kcal/mol for growth along axial direction. Based on such data and SEM observations, a base vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) model involving BCF theory was proposed to describe the governing mechanism for the axial growth. This model interpreted the competitive growth phenomena in both radial and axial directions, and controlling steps for radial and axial growth being assigned to mass transfer and surface reaction, respectively.