Determining adhesion of critical interfaces in microelectronics – a reverse Finite Element Modelling approach based on nanoindentation – Part I

In modern microelectronic devices, mechanical robustness and reliability have become more and more challenging, which is mainly due to continuous shrinkage of dimensions. At the same time a wide variety of thin film materials – metals, ceramics and glasses - are stacked and micro-structured for optimized device performance. Perfect adhesion of these thin film layers, even after exposure to thermal treatment or in presence of intrinsic stress, is crucial for device reliability. In particular, interfaces between isolating and metallization layers require careful assessment due to different bonding types of the materials involved.