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US 11,776,893 B2Granted
Copper alloys for interconnectors and methods for making the same
AssigneeThe Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania
InventorsDaniel S. Gianola, Gyuseok Kim
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Abstract
Metallic alloy interconnects (which can comprise copper) with low electrical resistivity and methods for making the same are disclosed. The electrical resistivity of thin film copper alloys was reduced by 36% with niobium solute and by 51% with iron solute compared to pure copper counterpart in dilute solute regimes (0-1.5 atomic %). The fabrication method is operated at room temperature, and does not require a high temperature annealing step.
Claims16
A nanocrystalline metal alloy thin film for interconnect applications, comprising:
- a nanocrystalline metal matrix disposed on a substate, the substrate having a degradation temperature of less than about 215° C., the nanocrystalline metal matrix comprising a first metal element, the metal element having a first atomic radius;
- and
- a metal solute dissolved in the nanocrystalline metal matrix via physical vapor deposition, the metal solute having a second atomic radius, the metal solute segregating to grain boundaries of the nanocrystalline metal matrix without thermal annealing, and one or more of
- (a) the metal solute being present at 0.1 atomic percent (“at. %”) to 1.5 at. % compared to the first metal element,
- (b) the first atomic radius and the second atomic radius having a difference of 0 percent to 20 percent of the atomic radius of the first metal element,
- (c) the equilibrium solubility of the metal solute in the nanocrystalline metal matrix being less than 0.02, and
- (d) the enthalpy of segregation between the nanocrystalline metal matrix and the metal solute being greater than 0 Joule per kilogram.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.