REVIEW OF THE THERMAL-CONDUCTIVITY OF THIN-FILMS

The thermal conductivity of thin films (0.01-100 mu m) governs the hea t transfer characteristics and affects the performance and reliability of the microelectronic devices in which they are used, To measure the thermal conductivity of these films, several different steady-state a nd transient techniques have been developed, some involving the use of lasers. New methods of thin-film deposition have also been developed, This paper reviews experimental and analytical techniques and the the rmal conductivity results obtained. It is shown that that the results obtained by these different measurement techniques and deposition meth ods vary significantly, This emphasizes the. importance of measuring t he thermal conductivity of thin-film materials that closely resemble t hose being used in specific applications.