MRS books on materials reliability in microelectronics have become the snapshot of progress in this field. Reduced feature size, increased speed, and larger area are all factors contributing to the continual performance and functionality improvements in integrated circuit technology. These same factors place demands on the reliability of the individual components that make up the IC. Achieving increased reliability requires an improved understanding of both thin-film and patterned-feature materials properties and their degradation mechanisms, how materials and processes used to fabricate ICs interact, and how they may be tailored to enable reliability improvements. This book focuses on the physics and materials science of microelectronics reliability problems rather than the traditional statistical, accelerated electrical testing aspects. Studies are grouped into three large sections covering electromigration, gate oxide reliability and mechanical stress behavior. Topics include: historical summary; reliability issues for Cu metallization; characterization of electromigration phenomena; modelling; microstructural evolution and influences; oxide and device reliability; thin oxynitride dielectrics; noncontact diagnostics; stress effects in thin films and interconnects and microbeam X-ray techniques for stress measurements.

This long-standing proceedings series is highly regarded as a premier forum for the discussion of microelectronics reliability issues. In this fifth book, emphasis is on the fundamental understanding of failure phenomena in thin-film materials. Special attention is given to electromigration and mechanical stress effects. The reliability of thin dielectrics and hot carrier degradation of transistors are also featured. Topics include: modeling and simulation of failure mechanisms; reliability issues for submicron IC technologies and packaging; stresses in thin films/lines; gate oxides; barrier layers; electromigration mechanisms; reliability issues for Cu metallizations; electromigration and microstructure; electromigration and stress voiding in circuit interconnects; and resistance measurements of electromigration damage.

The MRS Symposium Proceeding series is an internationally recognised reference suitable for researchers and practitioners.

The continual evolution of integrated circuit architecture places ever-increasing demands on the metal and dielectric thin films used in fabricating these circuits. Not only must these materials meet performance and manufacturability requirements, they must also be highly reliable for many years under operating conditions. A thorough understanding of the failure mechanisms and the effect of processing conditions and material properties on reliability is required to achieve this, particularly if it is to be done while minimizing cost and maximizing performance. This book brings together researchers from academia and industry to discuss fundamental mechanisms and phenomena in the reliability field. Topics include: solder and barrier-layer reliability; electromigration modeling; electromigration in interconnects; advanced measurement techniques; mechanical behavior of back-end materials and adhesion and fracture.

Reliability concerns have forced interconnect systems to scale more slowly than devices. As a result, reliability engineers and scientists are now responsible for much of the performance and lifetime gains anticipated in the microelectronics industry. To achieve these gains, the interconnect must be viewed as a complex system with many types of reliability issues. A critical understanding of electromigration, stress-induced voiding, mechanical integrity, thermal performance, chemical effects, and oxide reliability are necessary. And of course, new models and materials will likely be necessary to improve the interconnect system for future needs. This book brings together researchers from academia and industry to discuss fundamental mechanisms and phenomena in the reliability field. Topics include: novel measurement techniques; microstructural effects; reliability modelling; stress effects; advanced inter-connect reliability; adhesion and fracture; and packaging reliability issues.