| Failure analysis in microelectronic material involves several challenges. The traditional approach to reliability involves the development of statistical models which would be improved by a better understanding of the physical phenomena responsible for failure. This thesis focuses on a more physical approach in which failure as a result of microstructural evolution is explicitly modeled. Physical phenomena such as electromigration and stress driven diffusion play a central role in sub-micron structures. To address these issues, a modified finite element approach is taken to develop models of void evolution and growth. Detailed parametric studies to characterize the microstructural features which are responsible for failure in sub-micron structures due to electromigration induced void evolution and stress driven void growth. It has been determined that surface diffusion anisotropy, strength of the electromigration driving force, and crystallographic orientation are principally responsible for the shape and evolution of electromigration voids while void spacing, ratio of surface to grain boundary diffusivity, elastic properties and interfacial sliding contribute to the shape and growth of stress voids. This thesis contains the theoretical and numerical method development along with details of the parametric studies and the results as they relate to electronic component reliability. |
