In-situ Resistivity Determination of Thin Film Microelectronic Interconnects
Faculty Mentor Information
Dr. Elton Graugnard, Boise State University
Presentation Date
7-15-2026
Abstract
The current demand for increased scaling in microelectronic devices has driven a reduction in the size of all components of these devices. Interconnects based upon traditional metals, however, tend to show increasing resistivity with dimensional reduction, necessitating the introduction of novel materials. Transition metal phosphides offer more promising resistivity behavior, but performing ex-situ measurements in development has a significant possibility of film oxidation resulting in inaccurate measurements. To address this concern, an in-situ resistivity measurement apparatus, utilizing a four-point Van der Pauw probe within the atomic layer deposition (ALD) furnace was designed allowing film resistivity characterization without exposure to the ambient. The main deliverable of this project is to obtain resistivity measurements during the deposition process, in real time, and plot this resistivity as a function of film thickness. Additionally, empirical measurements will be compared to known literature values to evaluate measurement accuracy, allowing for modifications and improvements. This in-situ metrology will reveal the true potential of ALD-deposited transition metal phosphides as components in integrated circuits and provide insight into the effects of ALD experimental parameters on the resistivity of deposited films.
In-situ Resistivity Determination of Thin Film Microelectronic Interconnects
The current demand for increased scaling in microelectronic devices has driven a reduction in the size of all components of these devices. Interconnects based upon traditional metals, however, tend to show increasing resistivity with dimensional reduction, necessitating the introduction of novel materials. Transition metal phosphides offer more promising resistivity behavior, but performing ex-situ measurements in development has a significant possibility of film oxidation resulting in inaccurate measurements. To address this concern, an in-situ resistivity measurement apparatus, utilizing a four-point Van der Pauw probe within the atomic layer deposition (ALD) furnace was designed allowing film resistivity characterization without exposure to the ambient. The main deliverable of this project is to obtain resistivity measurements during the deposition process, in real time, and plot this resistivity as a function of film thickness. Additionally, empirical measurements will be compared to known literature values to evaluate measurement accuracy, allowing for modifications and improvements. This in-situ metrology will reveal the true potential of ALD-deposited transition metal phosphides as components in integrated circuits and provide insight into the effects of ALD experimental parameters on the resistivity of deposited films.