International Business Machines Corporation

Daniel Mark Boyne

Glenn A Biery

Kenneth Parker Rodbell

Michael H Wood

Hormazdyar M Dalal

Richard G Smith

H Daniel Schnurmann

An interconnection wiring structure in an integrated circuit chip designed to eliminate electromigration. The structure includes segments of aluminum interspersed with segments of refractory metal, wherein each aluminum segment is followed by a segment of refractory metal. The aluminum and refractory metal segments are aligned with respect to each other to ensure electrical continuity and to force the electrical current to sequentially cross the aluminum and the refractory metal segments. The above structure can be advantageously enhanced by adding an underlayer, an overlayer or both, all of which are made of refractory metal. The interconnection wire structure described above can be expanded to include vias or studs linking interconnection lines placed at different levels of the IC chip.

Self-aligned, lateral diffusion barrier in metal lines to eliminate electromigration

A test system having an improved physical layout and electrical design allows the 1/f noise of metal interconnects to be measured at levels close to that of Johnson or thermal noise. A detailed description of examples of operation of the test system provides evidence of the effectiveness of the test system in minimizing system noise to a level significantly lower than Johnson noise. This permits quantitative measurment of the noise contribution attributable to variations in cross-sectional area of connections for various applications and for qualitative prediction of electromigration lifetimes of metal films, particularly aluminum, having different microstructures. The test system includes an enclosure which includes several nested groups of housings including a sample oven within a device under test box which is, in turn, contained within the system enclosure. Wire wound resistors powered by a DC power supply are used to provide heating without interfering with measurement of 1/f noise of a device under test (D.U.T.). A biasing circuit and a bank of batteries are also provided with separate enclosures within the system enclosure.

Dual channel d.c. low noise measurement system and test methodology

A method of providing interconnections to a semiconductor integrated chip designed to eliminate electromigration. The method includes the steps of forming an interconnection with segments of Al interspersed with segments of a refractory metal, wherein each aluminum segments is followed by a segment of refractory metal, aligning the aluminum and refractory metal segments with respect to each other ensuring electrical continuity.

Method of making self-aligned, lateral diffusion barrier in metal lines

Dual channel D.C. low noise measurement system and test methodology

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Austin, TX, United States of America

Daniel Mark Boyne