Using Laser Scanning Microscopy to Determine Electromigration in Molybdenum Disilicide

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrical Engineering
• Physics

Background:

• Electromigration (EM) is increasingly important due to rising current densities and shrinking chip sizes.
• Existing EM studies often focus on aluminum and copper, with limited research on other materials.
• Traditional EM experiments can be time-consuming and provide only surface-level data, often requiring expensive equipment like SEM.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a more accessible workflow for investigating electromigration at the microscopic scale.
• To enable the calculation of electromigration parameters using a laser scanning microscope (LSM).
• To determine the length for the onset of electromigration.

Main Methods:

• A novel workflow utilizing a laser scanning microscope for electromigration studies.
• Sample preparation optimized for LSM, reducing effort compared to SEM.
• Calculation of electromigration parameters using determined electromigrated volumes.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated a viable method for microscopic-scale electromigration analysis using LSM.
• Achieved results with slightly reduced accuracy but significantly less sample preparation effort than SEM.
• Successfully determined the length for the onset of electromigration in the tested materials.

Conclusions:

• Laser scanning microscopy provides a practical alternative for microscopic electromigration analysis.
• This method facilitates the study of electromigration in various materials, not just traditional ones.
• The developed workflow allows for efficient investigation of electromigration parameters and phenomena.