Nanoindentaion techniques for assessing mechanical reliability at the nanoscale

Nanoindetation is a powerful technique for measuring mechanical properties of thin films. First applied over 20 years ago in the hard drive industry, it is now commonly used for other applications. This paper describes nanoindentation techniques for measuring thin films mechanical properties, including elastic modulus, hardness, adhesion and fracture toughness as applied for modern microelectronics reliability. Elastic, plastic and adhesion properties of Cu interconnects are discussed, including the influence of film microstructure, thickness and grain size. Elastic, fracture and adhesion properties of advanced low-K dielectrics also discussed along with the current challenges of nanoindentation data interpretation and analysis as applied for advanced electronic materials.