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Amal Chabli, CEA-Leti, Grenoble, France

ABSTRACT

Advanced interconnect integration for 45-nm nodes and below requires the use of copper metal lines and ultra low-k materials in order to control the delay, the crosstalk and the power consumption of the integrated circuits. This induces architecture specifications with introduction of new materials and new processes. Advanced physical and chemical characterization is mandatory to support not only the material choice and its improvement, the analysis of scaling effects and their correction, but also the design of integration processes and their validation. This article gives an overview of the most challenging characterization techniques in terms of their capabilities and limitations, giving special attention to sensitivity, localization and in-line metrology issues.