Resistivity scaling of porous MoP narrow lines

Abstract

The resistivity scaling of copper (Cu) interconnects with decreasing dimensions remains a major challenge in the downscaling of integrated circuits. Molybdenum phosphide (MoP) is a triple-point topological semimetal (TSM) with low resistivity and high carrier density. With the presence of topologically protected surface states that should be defect-tolerant and electron backscatter forbidden, MoP nanowires have shown promising resistivity values compared to Cu interconnects at the nanometer scale. In this work, using template-assisted chemical vapor conversion and standard fabrication techniques that are industry-adoptable, we report the fabrication of porous but highly crystalline MoP narrow lines with controlled sizes and dimensions. We examine the influence of porosity, thickness, and cross-section area on the resistivity values of the fabricated MoP lines to further test the feasibility of MoP for interconnect applications. Our work presents a facile approach to synthesizing TSM nanowires with different dimensions and cross sections, enabling experimental investigations of their predicted unconventional resistivity scaling behavior. Finally, our results provide insight into the effects of porosity on the resistivity of these materials on the nanometer scale.