A highly reliable interface of an ultrathin Zr(Ge) exhaustion interlayer between Cu(Zr) film and porous SiOC:H (p-SiOC:H) dielectric has been developed in the present work. After being processed at a moderate elevated temperature (say, 450 °C), a self-formed nanomultilayer of CuGex/ZrOx(ZrSiyOx) was produced at the interface of Cu(Zr)/p-SiOC:H film stacks, which showed strong ability to effectively hinder Cu atoms diffusion into p-SiOC:H film and free Si atoms diffusion into Cu film. The mechanism involving the thermal stability of the films system is analyzed based on detailed characterization studies.

Nano-grained ZrB2 thin films are prepared by radio-frequency (rf) magnetron sputtering and, the thermal stability and the diffusion barrier performance are evaluated at elevated temperatures.