SEZ-CIFT - Copper Interconnect Fabrication Technology

The Copper Interconnect Fabrication Technology (CIFT) project will explore a novel interconnect fabrication technology by electroplating copper from liquid ammonia solutions. The controlled deposition of copper metal on Si wafer surfaces using a fluid that is based on liquid ammonia (NH3) and a copper salt was patented by SEZ and has the potential to overcome current limitations seen for interconnect production processes below 45 nm. Within the next 24 month the consortium will explore the full chemical, physical, mechanical and electrical parameter space and act as key-enablers for the latest copper interconnect technology (e.g. direct on barrier copper plating) to be used in the future production of SoC and Multi-Chip solutions. Current industry practice is solely limited to processes in aqueous bath with a whole list of drawbacks and limitations.