Characterization of critical peak current and model of Cu/low-k interconnects under short pulse-width conditions

We characterize the critical peak current which causes melting of Cu/low-k interconnects under short-pulse conditions. High-current with 100ps pulse width is achieved using an on-die pulse generator A model incorporating the heating of the metal layer and heat diffusion through the insulator layer is supported by the experimental results. The model accurately describes the relationship between peak current and pulse width (20 μs–100ps), and can be used to generate reliable guidelines for high-current applications.