Classical size effect in oxide-encapsulated Cu thin films: Impact of grain boundaries versus surfaces on resistivity

Abstract

A methodology is developed to independently evaluate surface and grain boundary scattering in silicon dioxide-encapsulated, polycrystalline Cu thin films. The room-temperature film resistivity for samples with film thicknesses in the range of 27 to 1 65 nm and different grain sizes (determined from approximately 400 to 1500 grains per sample) is compared to existing and empirical models of surface and grain boundary scattering. For the combined effects of surface and grain boundary scattering, the surface specularity parameter p is 0.6±0.2 and the grain boundary reflectivity coefficient R is 0.45±0.03. It is thereby shown that the resistivity contribution from grain boundary scattering is significantly greater than that of surface scattering for Cu thin films having Cu∕SiO2 surfaces and grain sizes similar to film thickness.