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Effects of annealing and interlayers on the adhesion energy of copper thin films to SiO{sub 2}/Si substrates

Journal Article · · Acta Materialia
;  [1];  [2]
  1. Univ. of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN (United States). Dept. of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science
  2. Sandia National Labs., Livermore, CA (United States)

The adhesion of sputtered copper thin films was measured with a quantitative indentation technique utilizing refractory superlayers to trigger and promote delamination. Adhesion energies of the indentation-induced delaminations were analyzed in terms of the critical strain energy release rate. Two groups of films were investigated. Group 1 ranged in thickness from 225 to 1,000 nm in both the as-deposited and annealed condition. Adhesion energies ranged from 2 to 15 J/m{sup 2}, with higher adhesion for the annealed condition. Group 2 films had nominal thicknesses of 430 and 1,100 nm, some with 7--10 nm interlayers of either titanium or chromium. Adhesion energies of these films ranged from 4 to 30 J/m{sup 2}, increasing by a factor from 1.3 to 7.5 as a function of the interlayer presence and type, with the increase in energy due to a chromium interlayer exceeding that of titanium. Adhesion energies increased with film thickness for all films, with interlayers and annealing producing a larger increase. These quantitative results were compared to previous semi-quantitative and quantitative results, and shown to have comparable magnitudes and trends.

Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
FG02-96ER45574; AC04-94AL85000
OSTI ID:
302378
Journal Information:
Acta Materialia, Journal Name: Acta Materialia Journal Issue: 18 Vol. 46; ISSN 1359-6454; ISSN ACMAFD
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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