Effects of Several Parameters on the Corrosion Rates of Al Conductors in Integrated Circuits

Abstract

This paper briefly reviews literature on the effects of major materials and testing parameters on the corrosion rates of Al conductor lines in contact with phosphosilicate glass layers in integrated circuits. In an effort to assess the relative importance of these parameters on Al corrosion, selected literature findings are combined into a generalized rate equation that can be used to estimate Al conductor lifetimes under a wide range of conditions and to guide in the development of future experiments to address this highly complex problem more precisely. Al corrosion mechanisms and polarity effects are also briefly discussed.