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Diffusion barrier properties of reactively sputtered W-Ti-N thin films

Andrian V. Kuchuk 1,2Vasyl P. Kladko 2Anna Piotrowska 1Eliana Kaminska 1Krystyna Golaszewska 1Volodymyr F. Machulin 2Roman Minikayev 3Renata Ratajczak 4

1. Institute of Electron Technology (ITE), al. Lotników 32/46, Warszawa 02-668, Poland
2. V.E.Lashkarev Institute of Semiconductor Physics of NAS of Ukraine, 45 Nauky Prospekt, Kyiv 03028, Ukraine
3. Polish Academy of Sciences, Institute of Physics, al. Lotników 32/46, Warszawa 02-668, Poland
4. The Andrzej Sołtan Institute for Nuclear Studies (IPJ), Poland

Abstract


Initiated by the demands of high temperature and high power electronics, the long-term stability of ohmic and Schottky contacts on III-V semiconductors has been extensively studied. These contact layer systems generally include a diffusion barrier that prevents the metallurgical reaction between metallization and semiconductor substrate. The stability of thin film diffusion barriers in semiconductor high-temperature metallization is essential for successful device performance.
In this work, we have investigated the deposition processes and thermal stability of reactively sputtered W-Ti-N thin films. This study was focused on the effect of nitrogen content in these films on structural, electrical and barrier properties.
The conductivity, stress, crystal structure and chemical composition as well as surface morphology have been investigated using four-point probe sheet resistance measurements, stress measurement optical system, X-ray diffraction, Rutherford backscattering spectrometry and atomic force microscopy.
Our results show, that by optimizing the parameters of sputter deposition ( W - Ti (30 at.%) target, dc power 200 W, nitrogen partial pressure 0.05 Pa, total gas pressure 0.5 Pa ), the 100 nm thick amorphous W65Ti17N18 film shows excellent barrier property preventing the interaction between Au and GaAs under annealing at 750o C.

 

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Presentation: poster at E-MRS Fall Meeting 2004, Symposium I, by Andrian V. Kuchuk
See On-line Journal of E-MRS Fall Meeting 2004

Submitted: 2004-04-30 09:57
Revised:   2009-06-08 12:55