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


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