Application of equilibrium thermodynamics to the development of diffusion barriers for copper metallization - (invited)

The guidelines for designing a conductive, amorphous material, capable of thermodynamic equilibrium with copper, are defined using readily available thermodynamic information. The tradeoff between desired properties - equilibrium at the interfaces, amorphous microstructure, and electronic conductivity - are described, along with trends in relevant binary systems that result in these properties. These guidelines maximize the thermodynamic tendency for amorphous phase formation, in an attempt to minimize the need for nonequilibrium synthesis methods. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All nights reserved.