FRG/GOALI: Degradation Mechanisms, Micromechanics, and Microstructural Engineering of Thin Film Electrodes for High Permittivity Dielectrics

这个FRG/GOALI项目是斯坦福大学利哈伊大学的研究人员和加州圣克拉拉的应用材料公司的研究人员共同努力的结果。该项目致力于制造含有BaxSr1-xTiO3(BST)和PbZrxTi1-xO3(PZT)等介质的片上电容器所用材料的微观结构稳定性、微观力学和电学性能。其目的是加深对薄膜微观力学、片上电容器电性能以及如何通过薄膜微结构控制来改变电气和机械性能的理解。重点是从机理上理解薄膜电极加工过程中的应力松弛、表面粗化和薄膜脱粘过程，以及用于高K电容器应用的扩散障碍。还将研究使用图案化电容器测试结构时界面接触电阻率和介电可靠性的退化。电极的热应力松弛对结合力和粗糙度都有影响，它将通过电极层的合金化和内氧化产生两相组织来进行修饰。预计这项研究将为提高使用钙钛矿型高介电常数介质的片上电容器的可靠性和工艺稳定性带来新的策略。研究将由斯坦福大学和利哈伊大学的多学科、多研究者团队进行。学生和教职员工将与应用材料公司的材料研究人员和过程集成专家合作。与AMAT的联合研究活动将包括共享研究资源和样本、联合规划实验和定期会议以审查进展、学生访问应用材料的实验室，以及AMAT人员对学生的指导。%该项目解决具有高度技术相关性的材料科学专题领域的基础研究问题。从研究中获得的基本知识和理解有望有助于提高电子材料在当前和未来器件和电路应用中的性能。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学生进行培训，将研究和教育结合起来。这个FRG/GOALI项目的多学科(材料科学、电气工程)和与工业相关的性质为学生提供了独特的教育机会，让他们从学术和工业的角度体验以团队合作为导向的研究环境。该项目由DMR的电子材料(EM)和金属(MET)计划、ENG/CMS的材料力学和结构计划以及ENG GALI办公室共同资助。

This FRG/GOALI project is a collaborative effort between researchers at Stanford U., Lehigh U., and Applied Materials, Santa Clara, CA. The project addresses microstructural stability, micromechanics, and electrical properties of materials used in the fabrication of on-chip capacitors incorporating dielectrics such as BaxSr1-xTiO3 (BST) and PbZrxTi1-xO3 (PZT). The aim is to improve understanding of thin film micromechanics, on-chip capacitor electrical performance, and how both electrical and mechanical properties may be modified through thin film microstructural control. Emphasis is on development of a mechanistic understanding of stress relaxation, surface roughening, and film debonding processes occurring during processing of thin film electrodes and diffusion barriers for high-K capacitor applications. Degradation of interfacial contact resistivity and dielectric reliability using patterned capacitor test structures will also be studied. Thermal stress relaxation of electrodes, which affects both adhesion and roughness, will be modified by alloying electrode layers and producing two phase microstructures through internal oxidation. It is anticipated that the research will lead to new strategies for improving the reliability and processing stability of on-chip capacitors that use perovskite-structure high permittivity dielectrics. Research will be performed by a multi-disciplinary, multi-investigator team at Stanford University and Lehigh University. Students and faculty will collaborate with materials researchers and process-integration specialists at Applied Materials, Inc. Joint research activities with AMAT will include sharing of research resources and samples, joint planning of experiments and regular meetings to review progress, visits by students to Applied Materials' laboratories, and mentorship of students by AMAT personnel.%%%The project addresses basic research issues in a topical area of materials science with high technological relevance. The basic knowledge and understanding gained from the research is expected to contribute to improving electronic materials performance in current and future device and circuit applications. An important feature of the program is the integration of research and education through the training of students in a fundamentally and technologically significant area. The multidisciplinary (materials science, electrical engineering) and industrially-connected nature of this FRG/GOALI program offers unique educational opportunities for students to experience a teamwork-oriented research environment from both academic and industrial perspectives. The project is co-funded by the Electronic Materials(EM) and Metals(MET) programs in DMR, the Mechanics And Structures of Materials program in ENG/CMS, and the ENG GOALI office.***