Recent applications of organic low-k dielectrics in microelectronics have stimulated many investigations of metal diffusion in polymers. Here we report results from radiotracer measurements of110mAg diffusion in trimethylcyclohexane polycarbonate. Serial sectioning was carried out with 190 eV krypton ions in and opposite to the diffusion direction to rule out sputtering artifacts. Ag was found to be strongly immobilized by self aggregation. In contrast to earlier reports, however, trace amounts of Ag were clearly seen to diffuse into the polymer even at room temperature. A chromium film of only one tenth of a monolayer turned out to be an effective diffusion barrier.

1.
M. T. Bohr, IEEE IEDM, 1026 (1995).
2.
C. Chiang, P. S. Ho, T.-M. Lu, and J. Wetzel (Eds.), Mater. Res. Soc. Symp. Proc. 511 (1998), entire vol.
3.
J. C.
Maisonobe
,
G.
Passemard
,
C.
Lacour
,
Lecornec
,
P.
Motte
, and
P.
Noel
,
Microelectron. Eng.
50
,
25
(
2000
).
4.
For a recent review see:
F.
Faupel
,
R.
Willecke
, and
A.
Thran
,
Mater. Sci. Eng., R.
22
,
1
(
1998
).
5.
R. M.
Tromp
,
F. K.
LeGoues
, and
P. S.
Ho
,
J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A
3
,
782
(
1985
).
6.
F. K.
LeGoues
,
B. D.
Silverman
, and
P. S.
Ho
,
J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A
6
,
2200
(
1988
).
7.
F. S.
Ohuchi
and
S. C.
Freilich
,
J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A
4
,
1039
(
1984
);
F. S.
Ohuchi
and
S. C.
Freilich
,
J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A
6
,
1004
(
1988
).
8.
M.
Du
,
R. L.
Opila
,
V. M.
Donnelly
,
J.
Sapjeta
, and
T.
Boone
,
J. Appl. Phys.
85
,
1496
(
1999
).
9.
J. H.
Das
and
J. E.
Morris
,
IEEE Trans. Compon., Packag. Manuf. Technol., Part B
17
,
620
(
1994
).
10.
D.
Popovici
,
K.
Piyakis
,
M.
Meunier
, and
E.
Sacher
,
J. Appl. Phys.
83
,
108
(
1998
).
11.
M.
Kiene
,
T.
Strunskus
,
R.
Peter
, and
F.
Faupel
,
Adv. Mater.
10
,
1357
(
1998
).
12.
N.
Marin
,
Y.
Serruys
, and
P.
Calmon
,
Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. B
108
,
179
(
1996
).
13.
F.
Faupel
,
Phys. Status Solidi A
134
,
9
(
1992
).
14.
F.
Faupel
,
D.
Gupta
,
B. D.
Silverman
, and
P. S.
Ho
,
Appl. Phys. Lett.
55
,
357
(
1989
).
15.
R.
Willecke
and
F.
Faupel
,
J. Polym. Sci., Polym. Phys. Ed.
35
,
1043
(
1997
).
16.
R.
Willecke
and
F.
Faupel
,
Macromolecules
30
,
567
(
1997
).
17.
For a comprehensive data compilation see: F. Faupel and G. Kroll, in Diffusion in Non-Metallic Solids, Landolt-Börnstein, New Series, edited by D. L. Beke, (Springer, Berlin, 1999), Vol. III/33B1.
18.
C. v.
Bechtolsheim
,
V.
Zaporojtchenko
, and
F.
Faupel
,
J. Mater. Res.
14
,
3538
(
1999
).
19.
C. v.
Bechtolsheim
,
V.
Zaporojtchenko
, and
F.
Faupel
,
Appl. Surf. Sci.
270
,
119
(
1999
).
20.
A. Thran, Ph.D. thesis, University of Kiel, 2000 (Shaker, Aachen, 2000).
21.
A. Thran and F. Faupel, unpublished.
22.
T.
Strunskus
,
M.
Grunze
,
G.
Kochendoerfer
, and
Ch.
Wöll
,
Langmuir
12
,
2712
(
1996
).
23.
N.
Agmon
,
J. Chem. Phys.
81
,
2811
(
1984
).
This content is only available via PDF.
You do not currently have access to this content.