SOME OBSERVATIONS ON THE ELECTROMIGRATION IN ALUMINUM FILMS

Abstract

Thin-film aluminum resistors with thermally grown SiO2 as the substrate have been subjected to very high current densities of the order 0.5 to 2 × 106 A/cm2. The temperature of the resistor is estimated to be (185 ± 15)°C at high current densities. It is observed that an opening occurs in most of these resistors close to the cathode. Experimental evidence is presented to show that electromigration leads to the observed failures in these thin-film aluminum resistors.