• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
• /
• v.29 no.2
• /
• pp.73-79
• /
• 2022

In this study, a reaction study between Ga, which has recently been spotlighted as a low-temperature bonding material, and Cu, a representative electrode material, was conducted to investigate information necessary for low-temperature soldering applications. Interfacial reaction and intermetallic compound (IMC) growth were observed and analyzed by reacting Ga and Cu/Au substrates in the temperature range of 80-200℃. The main IMC growing at the reaction interface was CuGa₂ phase, and AuGa₂ IMC with small particle sizes was formed on the upper part and Cu₉Ga₄ IMC with a thin band shape on the lower part of the CuGa₂ layer. CuGa₂ particles showed a scallop shape, and the particle size increased without significant shape change as the reaction time increased, similar to the case of Cu₆Sn₅ growth. As a result of analyzing the CuGa₂ growth mechanism, the time exponent was calculated to be ~3.0 in the temperature range of 120-200℃, and the activation energy was measured to be 17.7 kJ/mol.

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
• /
• v.47 no.4
• /
• pp.217-222
• /
• 2009

Cu as a tramp element has been reported to encourage transverse cracking upon straightening operation during continuous casting or mini-mill processing. Therefore, the hot workability of steels containing Cu should be investigated. The purpose of the present study was to examine the effect of Cu contents on the hot ductility of low carbon steels by using hot compression test. Hot compression test was carried out using a Gleeble. The specimens were heated to $1300^{\circ}C$ for solution treatment and then held for 300s before cooling at a rate of $1^{\circ}C/s$ to test temperatures in the range of $650{\sim}1150^{\circ}C$ ($50^{\circ}C$ intervals) with strain rate of $5{\times}10^{-3}/s$. In Cu containing steels, the hot ductility was decreased with increasing Cu content at high temperature region which is to be attributed to copper enriched phase formed at scale/steel interface, and low hot ductility with increasing Cu content at low temperature region is attributable to the strengthening of matrix by the formation of ${\varepsilon}-Cu$. The width of ductility trough region was decreased with increasing Cu content.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
• /
• 2008.06a
• /
• pp.239-240
• /
• 2008

As semiconductor devices are scaled down for better performance and more functionality, the Cu-based interconnects suffer from the increase of the resistivity of the Cu wires. The resistivity increase, which is attributed to the electron scattering from grain boundaries and interfaces, needs to be addressed in order to further scale down semiconductor devices [1]. The increase in the resistivity of the interconnect can be alleviated by increasing the grain size of electroplating (EP)-Cu or by modifying the Cu surface [1]. Another possible solution is to maximize the portion of the EP-Cu volume in the vias or damascene structures with the conformal diffusion barrier and seed layer by optimizing their deposition processes during Cu interconnect fabrication, which are currently ionized physical vapor deposition (IPVD)-based Ta/TaN bilayer and IPVD-Cu, respectively. The use of in-situ etching, during IPVD of the barrier or the seed layer, has been effective in enlarging the trench volume where the Cu is filled, resulting in improved reliability and performance of the Cu-based interconnect. However, the application of IPVD technology is expected to be limited eventually because of poor sidewall step coverage and the narrow top part of the damascene structures. Recently, Ru has been suggested as a diffusion barrier that is compatible with the direct plating of Cu [2-3]. A single-layer diffusion barrier for the direct plating of Cu is desirable to optimize the resistance of the Cu interconnects because it eliminates the Cu-seed layer. However, previous studies have shown that the Ru by itself is not a suitable diffusion barrier for Cu metallization [4-6]. Thus, the diffusion barrier performance of the Ru film should be improved in order for it to be successfully incorporated as a seed layer/barrier layer for the direct plating of Cu. The improvement of its barrier performance, by modifying the Ru microstructure from columnar to amorphous (by incorporating the N into Ru during PVD), has been previously reported [7]. Another approach for improving the barrier performance of the Ru film is to use Ru as a just seed layer and combine it with superior materials to function as a diffusion barrier against the Cu. A RulTaN bilayer prepared by PVD has recently been suggested as a seed layer/diffusion barrier for Cu. This bilayer was stable between the Cu and Si after annealing at $700^{\circ}C$ for I min [8]. Although these reports dealt with the possible applications of Ru for Cu metallization, cases where the Ru film was prepared by atomic layer deposition (ALD) have not been identified. These are important because of ALD's excellent conformality. In this study, a bilayer diffusion barrier of Ru/TaCN prepared by ALD was investigated. As the addition of the third element into the transition metal nitride disrupts the crystal lattice and leads to the formation of a stable ternary amorphous material, as indicated by Nicolet [9], ALD-TaCN is expected to improve the diffusion barrier performance of the ALD-Ru against Cu. Ru was deposited by a sequential supply of bis(ethylcyclopentadienyl)ruthenium [Ru$(EtCp)_2$] and $NH_3$plasma and TaCN by a sequential supply of $(NEt_2)_3Ta=Nbu^t$ (tert-butylimido-trisdiethylamido-tantalum, TBTDET) and $H_2$ plasma. Sheet resistance measurements, X-ray diffractometry (XRD), and Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) analysis showed that the bilayer diffusion barriers of ALD-Ru (12 nm)/ALD-TaCN (2 nm) and ALD-Ru (4nm)/ALD-TaCN (2 nm) prevented the Cu diffusion up to annealing temperatures of 600 and $550^{\circ}C$ for 30 min, respectively. This is found to be due to the excellent diffusion barrier performance of the ALD-TaCN film against the Cu, due to it having an amorphous structure. A 5-nm-thick ALD-TaCN film was even stable up to annealing at $650^{\circ}C$ between Cu and Si. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) investigation combined with energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) analysis revealed that the ALD-Ru/ALD-TaCN diffusion barrier failed by the Cu diffusion through the bilayer into the Si substrate. This is due to the ALD-TaCN interlayer preventing the interfacial reaction between the Ru and Si.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Telematics and Electronics A
• /
• v.28A no.12
• /
• pp.31-38
• /
• 1991

The current-voltage characteristics at annealed Be-Cu alloy(1.8-2 wt% Be, 0.2 wt% Co+Ni) interfaces have been studied by means of the cyclic voltammetric method. The specimens were annealed in nitrogen gas($N_{2}$) furnace at 36$0^{\circ}C$ for 1.5 hours. After annealing, the vickers hardness(HV) was increased from 210 to 385. The used solutions were distilled water(H$_{2}$O), 10$^{-3}M\;CsNO_{2},10^{-2}M\;KCl,10^{-2}M\;KOH,10^{-4}M\;H_{2}SO_{4}$ aqueous electrolytes, and ethylalcohol ($C_{2}H_{5}OH$), etc. The cyclic voltammograms showed significant current-voltage characteristics between the annealed and unannealed specimens at the same conditions. The age hardening and the related surface potential barrer and dissolution effects have been observed during the whole experimental process. The dissolution process of annealed Be-Cu alloys was effectively retarded by the age hardening phenomenon. The age hardening effect also raised the surface potential barrier of Be-Cu alloys. The interfacial phenomena of Be-Cu alloys seem to be one of good models for understanding the activation process.

• Journal of Korea Foundry Society
• /
• v.30 no.2
• /
• pp.83-88
• /
• 2010

Bulk amorphous alloys with reasonable glass forming ability and large plasticity were found in Zr-Cu-Al alloys. Further increase in the GFA and the ductility is expected by appropriately choosing a fourth element. In this study, we select Be as the fourth element and added to the Zr-Cu-Al system to synthesize $(Zr_{57.4}Cu_{38.1}Al_{4.5})_{100-x}Be_x$(x=0~16) alloys and the glass forming ability and the plasticity were measured. With Be addition, the supercooled liquid region (${\Delta}T_x$), the plasticity and GFA as high as $134^{\circ}C$, 20.5%, 7 mm, respectively, can be obtained. Herein, we present the effect of Be addition on the variations of various mechanical properties and thermal characteristics of the $(Zr_{57.4}Cu_{38.1}Al_{4.5})_{100-x}Be_x$ alloys.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
• /
• v.20 no.3
• /
• pp.53-57
• /
• 2013

Although the lowering of Ag content in Sn-3.0Ag-0.5Cu is known to improve the mechanical shock reliability of the solder joint, it is also known to be detrimental to the solderbility. In this study, the quaternary alloying effect of In and the minor alloying effects of Mn and Pd on the solderability, thermal cycling and mechanical shock reliabilities of the low Ag content Sn-1.2Ag-0.7Cu solder were investigated using board-level BGA packages. The solderability of Sn-1.2Ag-0.7Cu-0.4In was proved to be comparable to that of Sn-3.0Ag-0.5Cu but its thermal cycling reliability was inferior to that of Sn-3.0Ag-0.5Cu. While the 0.03 wt% Pd addition to the Sn-1.2Ag-0.7Cu-0.4In decreased the solderability and reliabilities of solder joint, the 0.1 wt% Mn addition was proved to be beneficial especially for the mechanical shock reliability compared to those of Sn-3.0Ag-0.5Cu and Sn-1.0Ag-0.5Cu compositions. It was considered to be due that the Mn addition decreased the Young's modulus of low Ag content Pb-free solders.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
• /
• v.22 no.5
• /
• pp.30-39
• /
• 2017

In this study, the predictive toxicity of barley Hordeum vulgare was estimated using a modified terrestrial biotic ligand model (TBLM) to account for the toxic effects of $CuOH^+$ and $CuCO_3(aq)$ generated at pH 7 or higher, and this was compared to that from the original TBLM. At pH values higher than 7, the difference in $EA_{50}\{Cu^{2+}\}$ (half maximal effective activity of $Cu^{2+}$) between the two models increased with increasing pH. As Mg concentration increased from 8.24 to 148 mg/L in the pH range of 5.5 to 8.5, the difference in $EA_{50}\{Cu^{2+}\}$ increased, and it reached its maximum at pH 8. The difference in $EC_{50}[Cu]_T$ (half maximal effective concentration of Cu) between the two models increased as dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration increased when pH was above 7. Thus, for soils with alkaline pH, the toxic effect of $CuOH^+$ and $CuCO_3(aq)$ are greater at higher salt and DOC concentrations. The acceptable Cu concentration in soil porewater can be estimated by the modified TBLM through deterministic method at pH levels higher than 7, while combination of TBLM and species sensitivity distribution through the probabilistic method could be utilized at pH levels lower than 7.

• Journal of Powder Materials
• /
• v.24 no.5
• /
• pp.406-413
• /
• 2017

A Nanosized $WO_3$ and CuO powder mixture is prepared using novel high-energy ball milling in a bead mill to obtain a W-Cu nanocomposite powder, and the effect of milling time on the structural characteristics of $WO_3-CuO$ powder mixtures is investigated. The results show that the ball-milled $WO_3-CuO$ powder mixture reaches at steady state after 10 h milling, characterized by the uniform and narrow particle size distribution with primary crystalline sizes below 50 nm, a specific surface area of $37m^2/g$, and powder mean particle size ($D_{50}$) of $0.57{\mu}m$. The $WO_3-CuO$ powder mixtures milled for 10 h are heat-treated at different temperatures in $H_2$ atmosphere to produce W-Cu powder. The XRD results shows that both the $WO_3$ and CuO phases can be reduced to W and Cu phases at temperatures over $700^{\circ}C$. The reduced W-Cu nanocomposite powder exhibits excellent sinterability, and the ultrafine W-Cu composite can be obtained by the Cu liquid phase sintering process.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
• /
• v.3 no.4
• /
• pp.305-309
• /
• 1993

Thermal stability of Co/Cu artificial superlattice (AS) prepared by RF-magnetron sputtering and the effect of low temperature annealing on the magnetoresistance of the AS have been investigated in this work. Dependence of annealing behavior on the Cu spacer thickness, Fe underlayer thickness, and kind of the underlayer was examined and the relationship between the interfacial reaction and magnetoresistance was studied. It turned out that when Co/Cu AS was annealed at low temperature ($<450^{\circ}C$), the magnetoresistance could increase in the case of AS with thick spacer Cu ($20~25\AA$) layer, whereas it decreased in the case of AS with thin spacer Cu ($7\AA$) layer, which of the former is in contrast with previous reports and the latter in consistent with them. The increase of magnetoresistance is due to increase of interfacial atomic sharpness, which is supported by low angle X-ray diffraction analysis. The thermal stability of Co/Cu AS was better in the case of thick Fe underlayered AS. Interfacial reaction (separation of intermixed Co and Cu) could be observed at lower temperature for (200)-textured samples than for (111)-textured samples, which can be interpreted in terms of interdiffusion kinetics depending on the crystallographic orientation.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
• /
• v.3 no.4
• /
• pp.289-292
• /
• 1993

[Ni/Fe/Cu] and [Fe/Ni/Fe/Cu] multilayers were prepared with three gun rf-magnetron sputtering, and dependence of magnetoresistance on the Ni IFe thickness ratio was investigated. Vaccum annealing was tried to invetigated the effect of annealing. Oscillation of magnetoresistance on the Cu spacer thickness was dbserved in these two kinds of multilayers. When the thickness of Fe inserted into the Ni/Cu interface was about $3\;\AA$. the maximum value of magnetoresistance(13 %) could be observed. In a sample of $1~2\;\AA$ Fe thickness, saturation field decreased significantly, while magnetoresistace decreased slightly in comparison with the sample of $3\;\AA$ Fe. In ${[Cu(23\;\AA)/Fe(1\;\AA)/Ni(18\;\AA)/Fe(1\;\AA)]}_{20}/Fe(80\;\AA)/Si$, 6 % magnetoresistance with 100 Oe saturation field could be obtained. No appreciable change in magnetoresistance and saturation field could be observed by low temperature annealing. Formation of Ni-Fe alloy was not confinred.