Specific Process Knowledge/Thin film deposition/Deposition of Copper

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Deposition of Cu

Copper can be deposited by e-beam evaporation, sputtering or electroplating. In the chart below you can compare the different deposition equipments.

Deposition of Copper using sputter deposition technique

• Sputtering of Cu in PVD co-sputter/evaporation

	E-beam evaporation (Alcatel)	Sputter deposition (PVD co-sputter/evaporation)	Sputter deposition (Lesker)	Electroplating (Electroplating-Cu)
General description	E-beam deposition of Cu	Sputter deposition of Cu	Sputter deposition of Cu	Electroplating of Cu
Pre-clean	RF Ar clean	RF Ar clean	RF Ar clean	None
Layer thickness	10Å to 0.5µm*	10Å to 1µm*	10Å to 1µm*	thickness window undefined yet
Deposition rate	2Å/s to 15Å/s	Depending on process parameters	~1Å/s
Batch size	Up to 1x4" wafers smaller pieces	4x6" wafers or 12x4" wafers or 12x2" wafers	smaller pieces Up to 1x6" wafers	1x4" wafer
Allowed materials	Silicon Silicon oxide Silicon (oxy)nitride Photoresist PMMA Mylar SU-8 Metals	Silicon Silicon oxide Silicon (oxy)nitride Photoresist PMMA Mylar SU-8 Metals	almost any	Base Materials: Silicon Seed metals: Ti(10nm) + Au (80nm) (Recommended) Cr(10nm) + Au (80nm) (Recommended)
Comment				Sample must be compatible with plating bath. Seed metal layer required to run electroplating process.

* To deposit layers thicker then 200 nm permission is required (contact Thin film group)

Studies of Cu deposition processes

Roughness of Cu layers - Roughness of Cu layers deposited with Alcatel