Aluminum alloy film deposition and characterization

A flash evaporation system which utilizes a mechanism for feeding alloy wire onto a heated bar was used for the deposition of aluminum-silicon, aluminum-copper and aluminum-copper-silicon. The effect of deposition conditions and processing procedure on film composition and microstructure was determined. Particular attention was given to the film surface topography and the possible influence of deposition conditions, alloy composition, substrate type, thickness, annealing time and temperature and addition of oxide overlayers. Resistivity, and possible shorting of junctions in silicon as a consequence of silicon dissolution in the metallization, were considered as a function of alloy composition. Metal continuity over steps in the substrate was tested as a function of deposition temperature. These studies yielded recommendations, regarding the general use of alloy metallization on silicon devices and its specific use in two-level metallization configurations, which include: deposition at temperatures down to 275°C and at evaporation rates of about 0.4 g/min; the use of initial layer thickness down to 0.7 μ; post-deposition processing for aluminum-copper or aluminum-copper-silicon not to exceed 525°C; the addition of 1% silicon to prevent junction penetration; and the addition of 4% copper to lend adequate electromigration resistance and inhibit hillock growth during high temperature processing.