ELECTROMIGRATION-INDUCED FAILURE OF METALLIC THIN-FILMS DUE TO TRANSGRANULAR VOID PROPAGATION

A theoretical analysis is presented of the failure of metallic thin fi lms due to electromigration-induced morphological evolution of transgr anular voids. Self-consistent dynamical simulations emphasize the impo rtant roles of the anisotropy of void surface diffusivity, the strengt h of the applied electric field, and the void size. Our simulations pr edict formation of stable faceted voids, formation of wedge-shaped voi ds through a facet selection mechanism, as well as failure due to prop agation of slitlike features from void surfaces, in excellent agreemen t with recent experimental observations. (C) 1998 American Institute o f Physics.