Microstructure and Lifetime Study of Al/Y Films

Abstract

ABSTRACTThin Al films alloyed with three different compositions (0.1%, 1%, 5% by weight) of Yttrium were deposited by D.C. Magnetron Sputtering onto oxidized Si wafer substrates. The samples were furnace annealed at 425 °C for 30 minutes. Resistivity measured for the as-deposited and annealed Al(0. lwt% Y) were 3.07 and 2.57+/−0.25 μΩcm respectively. Al(0. lwt% Y) was also annealed by furnace annealing (FA), rapid thermal annealing (RTA) and rapid photothermal annealing (RPA). RPA gave a residual resistivity of 2.67μΩcm in 5 minutes and at a temperature of 350 C for Al(0. lwt% Y). Mean time to failure for AI(0. lwt% Y) samples at a current density of 3.2+/−0.5×106A/cm2 at 30 C was 50 hours. TEM results showed grain size variation from 0.5 to 2 μm.