Abstract
In order to investigate the potassium (K) gettering, Al-1%Si/$SiO_2$/PSG multilevel thin films were fabricated. Al-1%Si thin films and $SiO_2$/PSG passivations were deposited by using DC magnetron sputter techniques and APCVD (atmosphere pressure chemical vapor deposition), respectively. Heat treatment was carried out at $300^{\circ}C$ for 5 h in air. SIMS (secondary ion mass spectrometry) depth profiling analysis was used to determine the distribution of K, Al, Si, P, and other elements throughout the $SiO_2$/PSG passivated Al-1%Si thin film interconnections. Potassium peaks were observed throughout the $SiO_2$/PSG passivation layers, and especially the interface gettering at the $SiO_2$/PSG and at the Al-1%Si/$SiO_2$ interfaces was observed. Potassium gettering in Al-1%Si/$SiO_2$/PSG multilevel thin films is considered to be caused by a segregation type of gettering.