Effect of anisotropic diffusion coefficient on the evolution of the interface void in copper metallization for integrated circuit

The shape evolution of the interface void of copper metallization for intergrated circuits under electromigration stress is modeled. A 2-dimensional finite-difference numerical method is employed for computing time evolution of the void shape driven by surface diffusion, and the electrostatic problem is solved by boundary element method. When the diffusion coefficient is isotropic, the numerical results agree well with the known case of wedge-shape void evolution. The numerical results for the anisotropic diffusion coefficient show that the initially circular void evolves to become a fatal slitlike shape when the electron wind force is large, while the shape becomes non-fatal and circular as the electron wind force decreases. The results indicate that the open circuit failure caused by slit-like void shape is far less probable to be observed for copper metallization under a normal electromigration stress condition.