Evaluation of Cu Contamination Induced Pit Failure and Improvement by Hydrogen Anneal and Epitaxial Growth

Abstract

We have investigated the influence of Cu contamination induced failure (Cu/pit failure) on silicon semiconductor devices. In the evaluation by Cu decoration and SEM observation, pits of about 30 nm were observed at leak points of silicon oxide. Cu/pit failure introduced oxide breakdown. On the other hand, Cu/pit failure is improved by high temperature hydrogen anneal and epitaxial growth. These improvements are able to explain by migration and rearrangement of silicon atoms.