Intermetallic formation in copper/magnesium thin films - Kinetics, nucleation and growth, and effect of interfacial oxygen

Abstract

In situ resistance measurements, x-ray diffraction, Rutherford backscattering spectrometry, transmission electron microscopy, isothermal and constant heating rate differential scanning calorimetry and Auger electron spectrometry depth profiles have been used to investigate the interactions in copper and magnesium thin films leading to the growth of Cu2Mg and CuMg2 intermetallics. The effect of exposing the reacting interfaces to controlled exposure of oxygen on the nucleation and growth kinetics of such intermetallics was also investigated. It is found that the first phase to form is CuMg2, at about 200-215°C. It is determined that the formation of CuMg2 occurs by a two step process consisting of nucleation and growth. The nucleation of CuMg2 takes place in a region composed of a Cu/Mg solid solution. The nuclei form at certain preferred sites and grow in directions both parallel and perpendicular to the surface, eventually leading to a continuous CuMg2 layer. The growth of CuMg2 nuclei in the plane of the original interface occurs at a constant rate, whereas the growth in a direction perpendicular to the original interface is found to be diffusion limited. In the presence of excess copper Cu2Mg forms at higher temperatures, with complete conversion to Cu2Mg occurring at about 380°C. When the Cu surface is dosed with oxygen prior to Mg deposition, ramp rate differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) shows that the nucleation and growth of CuMg2 as well as the growth of Cu 2Mg are not disturbed. Dosing the Mg surface with oxygen results in significant changes in the growth of the two phases. In this case a thin MgO layer is formed at the oxygen dosed surface, lateral growth of CuMg2 is unaffected, but vertical growth of CuMg2 across the oxygen dosed interfaces is delayed by 25-30°C. The growth of Cu2Mg is also shown to be delayed, by 22-54°C due to the interfacial oxygen dose.