In situ X-ray diffraction study of self-forming barriers from a Cu-Mn alloy in 100 nm Cu/low-k damascene interconnects using synchrotron radiation

An in situ study of self-forming barriers from a Cu-Mn alloy was performed to investigate the barrier growth using X-ray diffraction on damascene lines. The associated evolution in interconnect texture and Cu stress was also observed. The shift in Cu diffraction peak position was used to determine the change in Mn concentration and hence, estimate the thickness of the MnSi_xO_y barrier. The observed peak shift followed a log(t) behaviour and is described well by metal oxidation kinetics, following the field enhanced diffusion model. We used multiple anneal temperatures to study the activation of the formation process, demonstrating a faster barrier formation with higher ion excitation. A strong [1 1 1] Cu texture was shown to develop during the anneal in contrast to traditional PVD barrier systems. Finally, the stress in the 100 nm Cu lines was calculated, observing a large in-plane relaxation when using a self-forming barrier due to reduced confinement.     

Texture characterization of Cu interconnects with different Ta-based sidewall diffusion barriers

X-ray diffraction is used to assess the texture of narrow lines and study the impact of different sidewall diffusion barrier materials. All the Ta-based barriers developed a strong 〈1 1 1〉 texture in the scaled geometry, with little effect from sidewall growth. Comparisons were made with blanket wafers, demonstrating the pined grain structure in the narrow lines and contrasting change in texture due to re-crystallization in the unconstrained film. Furthermore, patterned lines showed significant anti-symmetric plane distribution influenced by high strains and twinning along the lines.     

Land clearing and greenhouse gas emissions from Jatropha biofuels on African Miombo Woodlands

The paper investigates greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from land use change associated with the introduction of large-scale Jatropha curcas cultivation on Miombo Woodland, using data from extant forestry and ecology studies about this ecosystem. Its results support the notion that Jatropha can help sequester atmospheric carbon when grown on complete wastelands and in severely degraded conditions. Conversely, when introduced on tropical woodlands with substantial biomass and medium/high organic soil carbon content, Jatropha will induce significant emissions that offset any GHG savings from the rest of the biofuel production chain. A carbon debt of more than 30 years is projected. On semi-degraded Miombo the overall GHG balance of Jatropha is found to hinge a lot on the extent of carbon depletion of the soil, more than on the state of the biomass. This finding points to the urgent need for detailed measurements of soil carbon in a range of Miombo sub-regions and similar tropical dryland ecosystems in Asia and Latin America. Efforts should be made to clarify concepts such as ‘degraded lands’ and ‘wastelands’ and to refine land allocation criteria and official GHG calculation methodologies for biofuels on that basis.     

Values and goals as determinants of intended tenure choice

Housing choice and tenure choice have beenstudied from many different theoreticalperspectives and with a great variety ofmethodological approaches. In explaininghousing choice, researchers have shown theinfluence of both macrolevel (housing market,economic situation) and microlevel (age,income) factors. Relatively little attentionhas been given to motivational microlevelfactors such as goals and values. In thisarticle, the focus is on values and goals asdeterminants of housing choice. Therelationships between these motivationalfactors, other microlevel factors, and housingchoice are specified in an extended means-endmodel which is based on means-end theory. Theempirical validity of this extended model hasbeen partly assessed by using it to predictintended tenure choice. In the article,previous research on the motivations forhousing choice is discussed and the extendedmeans-end model is described. The empiricalresults of applying the model to intendedtenure choice are presented and discussed,while the assessment of the reliability of thevalue scales is also described.     

Study of metal barrier deposition-induced damage to porous low-k materials

A unique test structure based on a metal-insulator-semiconductor planar capacitor (Pcap) design was used to investigate several aspects of metal barrier-induced low-k damage. A special term called Effective Damage Thickness was introduced to describe the degree of damage. Ta(N) barrier was deposited on various dielectric films with porosity up to 32%. It has been found that the Effective Damage Thickness increases as the porosity increases. The damage is influenced more by the porosity of low-k films than the film density. Furthermore, the damage was modulated by Ta(N) deposition conditions. More damage was observed when higher target and/or substrate bias power was used, suggesting that the ion energy of the barrier material plays an important role in the low-k damage mechanism. A same degree of damage was observed for Ta barrier as for Ta(N), suggesting that Ta(N) deposition-induced low-k damage was primarily caused by Ta ions not nitrogen. Impact of Ru(Ta) and Cu(Mn) self forming barrier on low-k damage was also investigated. Among all the barriers studied in this work, the Ta-based barriers caused the most damage while the Cu(Mn) self forming barrier had the least damage to the low-k. The atomic masses for Ta, Ru, and Cu are 181, 101, and 64, respectively, corresponding with the observed degree of damage in the low-k material.     

Impact of “terminal effect” on Cu electrochemical deposition: Filling capability for different metallization options

The 300 mm wafer copper electrochemical deposition (ECD) process for dual damascene metallization of semiconductor advanced interconnects is critically reviewed and the breakthroughs that enable further scaling of this process are examined. Special emphasis is placed on analyzing the critical issues, such as barrier/seed options, terminal effect and future plating prospects for this technology. The smallest plateable feature size values are estimated for different metallization integration schemes, such as conventional Physical Vapor Deposited (PVD) TaN/Ta/Cu, hybrid RuTa/Cu, CuMn (8%) self-forming barrier/seed, and Plasma-Enhanced Atomic Layer Deposition (PEALD) Ru, limiting the allowed maximum sheet resistance to 14 Ohms/sq for the Cu-based seeds and the effective maximum filling aspect ratio to 5-6.     

Yttrium doping of Ba0.5Sr0.5Co0.8Fe0.2O3-δ part II: Influence on oxygen transport and phase stability

Ba_0.5Sr_0.5Co_0.8Fe_0.2O_3-δ (BSCF) in its cubic perovskite phase has attracted much interest for potential use as oxygen transport membrane (OTM) due to its very high oxygen permeability at high temperatures. However, performance degradation due to a sluggish phase decomposition occurs when BSCF is operated below 840?°C. Partial B-site substitution of the transition metal cations in BSCF by larger and redox-stable cations has emerged as a potential strategy to improve the structural stability of cubic BSCF. In this study, the influence of yttrium doping (0…10?mol-%) on oxygen transport properties and stability of the cubic BSCF phase is assessed by in situ electrical conductivity relaxation (ECR) and electrical conductivity measurements during long-term thermal annealing both at 700?°C and 800?°C. Detailed phase analysis is performed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) after long-term annealing of the samples in air at different temperatures.     

In-situ TEM on (de)hydrogenation of Pd at 0.5-4.5 bar hydrogen pressure and 20-400°C

We have developed a nanoreactor, sample holder and gas system for in-situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) of hydrogen storage materials up to at least 4.5 bar. The MEMS-based nanoreactor has a microheater, two electron-transparent windows and a gas inlet and outlet. The holder contains various O-rings to have leak-tight connections with the nanoreactor. The system was tested with the (de)hydrogenation of Pd at pressures up to 4.5 bar. The Pd film consisted of islands being 15 nm thick and 50-500 nm wide. In electron diffraction mode we observed reproducibly a crystal lattice expansion and shrinkage owing to hydrogenation and dehydrogenation, respectively. In selected-area electron diffraction and bright/dark-field modes the (de)hydrogenation of individual Pd particles was followed. Some Pd islands are consistently hydrogenated faster than others. When thermally cycled, thermal hysteresis of about 10-16 °C between hydrogen absorption and desorption was observed for hydrogen pressures of 0.5-4.5 bar. Experiments at 0.8 bar and 3.2 bar showed that the (de)hydrogenation temperature is not affected by the electron beam. This result shows that this is a fast method to investigate hydrogen storage materials with information at the nanometer scale.