CAREER: Advanced Integrated Circuit Metallization: Research and Education

9624493阿尔福德这个职业研究项目致力于硅基系统的金属化和触点形成，目的是为未来的集成电路技术创造互连材料、系统和工艺的科学和工程方面的新基础知识。待研究的互连材料体系包括导体、附着力促进层和阻挡层。这项研究主要集中在金属导体材料(银及其合金)上，但这项研究的一个重要方面是多层金属化的综合系统方法，该方法寻求对解决长期未来解决方案(低阻银合金)和更短期解决方案(铜合金)的更多了解。这个研究项目将扩展研究人员在铜金属化材料科学和加工方面的初步进展，将基础研究进展的关键方面与两项教育创新相结合，包括扩展到K-12，以及与马里科帕社区学院区合作的社区大学活动，其中包括向当地行业电视转播的课程。除了教育外展活动外，该计划的一个重要特点是通过在一个具有根本意义和技术意义的领域对研究生进行培训，将研究和教育全面结合起来。拟议的金属化和接触形成的基础研究有望为先进的微电子设备和电路贡献与技术相关的基础材料科学知识。从这项研究项目中获得的知识和理解有望为提高用于计算、信息处理和电信的先进器件和电路的性能做出总体贡献，为设计和生产具有更高可靠性和性能的改进材料提供基本的理解和基础。***

9624493 Alford This CAREER research project addresses metallization and contact formation in silicon-based systems with the objective to create new fundamental knowledge in the science and engineering of interconnect materials systems and processes for future integrated circuit technologies. Interconnect materials systems to be studied include conductors, adhesion promoting layers and barrier layers. The research concentrates on metal conductor materials (silver and its alloys), but a substantial aspect of this investigation is the integrated systems approach to multilevel metallization that seeks greater understanding for addressing long term future solutions (lower resistivity Ag alloys) and more near term solutions (Cu alloys). %%% This research project will extend the investigator's preliminary advances in Cu metallization materials science and processing to integrate critical aspects of basic research advances with two Educational Innovations, Outreach to K-12, and a collaborative Community College activity with the Maricopa Community College District which includes courses televised to local industry. In addition to the educational outreach activities, an important feature of the program is the general integration of research and education through the training of graduate students in a fundamentally and technologically significant area. The proposed basic investigations of metallization and contact formation are expected to contribute fundamental materials science knowledge of technological relevance to advanced microelectronic devices and circuits. The knowledge and understanding gained from this research project is expected to contribute in a general way to improving the performance of advanced devices and circuits used in computing, information processing, and telecommunications by providing a fundamental understanding and a basis for designing and producing improved materials with greater reliability and performance. ***