The transition from Al to Cu for advanced ULSI interconnects involves changes in architecture and deposition technique that will influence the microstructure and texture of the metal. Cu interconnects are typically formed within the confines of pre-patterned trenches and vias using an electroplating process with a sputtered Cu conduction layer deposited over a refractory metalbased diffusion barrier layer. In this paper, we focus on the influence of the barrier layer (PVD Ti/TiN, Ta, TaN, CVD TiN) and the effect of a vacuum break between barrier and conduction layer depositions, on the texture of the Cu lines, as examined by X-ray diffraction pole figure analysis.A preferred (111) orientation was observed for all samples. The samples with no vacuum break between barrier and conduction layer deposition exhibited in plane anisotropy that was particularly pronounced for the Ta and TaN samples compared with the Ti/TiN sample. Focused ion beam images and transmission electron micrographs showed Cu grain size to be on the order of the trench width with a high degree of twinning, and no boundary could be distinguished between the PVD Cu conduction layer and the electroplated Cu.

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Aluminum alloy is one of the candidates for the liners of compressed hydrogen tank mounted to fuel cell vehicles. It is crucial to elucidate the behavior of hydrogen in the alloy sheet with one side being exposed to hydrogen gas. In the present work, using the hydrogen microprint technique, in 6061 and 7075 aluminum alloy sheets, relationship between hydrogen pressure and the molar quantity of hydrogen emitted from the inside has been investigated. Under any pressure, the quantity of emitted hydrogen is about 10 times smaller in the 7075 alloy than in the 6061 alloy. This indicates that the amount of hydrogen atoms accumulating in the 7075 alloy may be much larger than that in the 6061 alloy.

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