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arXiv · 2310.20485

Al$_3$Sc thin films for advanced interconnect applications

Jean-Philippe Soulié·Kiroubanand Sankaran·Valeria Founta·Karl Opsomer·Christophe Detavernier·Joris Van de Vondel·Geoffrey Pourtois·Zsolt Tőkei·Johan Swerts·Christoph Adelmann
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Abstract

Al$_x$Sc$_{1-x}$ thin films have been studied with compositions around Al$_3$Sc ($x$ = 0.75) for potential interconnect metallization applications. As-deposited 25 nm thick films were x-ray amorphous but crystallized at 190{\deg}C, followed by recrystallization at 440{\deg}C. After annealing at 500{\deg}C, 24 nm thick stoichiometric Al$_3$Sc showed a resistivity of 12.6 $\mu\Omega$cm, limited by a combination of grain boundary and point defect (disorder) scattering. Together with ab initio calculations that found a mean free path of the charge carriers of 7 nm for stoichiometric Al$_3$Sc, these results indicate that Al$_3$Sc bears promise for future interconnect metallization schemes. Challenges remain in minimizing the formation of secondary phases as well as in the control of the non-stoichiometric surface oxidation and interfacial reactions with underlying dielectrics.

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Jean-Philippe Soulié, Kiroubanand Sankaran, Valeria Founta, Karl Opsomer, Christophe Detavernier, Joris Van de Vondel, Geoffrey Pourtois, Zsolt Tőkei, Johan Swerts, Christoph Adelmann. 2023-10-31. Al$_3$Sc thin films for advanced interconnect applications. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mee.2024.112141

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