Skip to Main Content
 

Global Search Box

 
 
 

ETD Abstract Container

Abstract Header

Effects of Transport and Additives on Electroless Copper Plating

Abstract Details

2017, Doctor of Philosophy, Case Western Reserve University, Chemical Engineering.
Metal deposition in electroless plating can be advantageously used to metalize non-conducting substrates and electrically isolated features. This research focuses on the metallization of nanometer-scale interconnects in semiconductor devices, which are rapidly approaching sizes too narrow for electroplating. A number of challenges still exist for the application of electroless plating to feature fill: (i) identifying an additives mixture that provides bottom-up fill in electroless plating; (ii) developing an experimental technique for rapid screening of such additives; (iii) quantification of transport in the electroless system; (iv) a comprehensive, quantitative model for electroless plating rates as a function of the important system parameters must be developed in order to enable predictive design. This research addresses all the above listed items. A technique for simulation of feature fill by electroless plating on a flat, non-patterned rotating disk electrode (RDE) is presented. Using deposition experiments performed at two different rotation speeds to simulate the feature top and bottom. This technique that provides a rapid and inexpensive method for additives screening, was used to identify promising additives for bottom-up fill. 3-mercaptopropanesulfonic acid (MPS) was identified as a promising additive for bottom-up fill, with polypropylene glycol (PPG) and 2’-2’-dipyridyl included in an additive mixture to provide a bright and uniform deposit. A model that provides electroless plating rates and accounts for the reactants and additives concentrations and for the effects of transport, has been developed. The model is based on experimental data and the electrochemical rate equations for both the oxidation and reduction reactions to provide the plating rate and operating potential as a function of the bulk reactants concentrations and the RDE rotation rate. The additives activity has been accounted for through the determination of their surface concentration, as determined by a balance of their transport, adsorption, and removal by inclusion into the deposited metal. It is shown that MPS is the critical, rate determining suppressor. The effect of dipyridyl is also included to model a multi-additive system. The model predictions match the observed data well, over reactants bulk concentrations, as well as rotation rates in the range of interest.
Uziel Landau (Advisor)
Rohan Akolkar (Committee Member)
Robert Savinell (Committee Member)
Daniel Scherson (Committee Member)
131 p.

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Zeszut, Jr., R. A. (2017). Effects of Transport and Additives on Electroless Copper Plating [Doctoral dissertation, Case Western Reserve University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1497271315649528

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Zeszut, Jr., Ronald. Effects of Transport and Additives on Electroless Copper Plating. 2017. Case Western Reserve University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1497271315649528.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Zeszut, Jr., Ronald. "Effects of Transport and Additives on Electroless Copper Plating." Doctoral dissertation, Case Western Reserve University, 2017. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1497271315649528

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)