title: Alloying effects on electromigration mass transport.
abstract: Small amounts of alloying elements can significantly retard electromigration in conductor lines. This phenomenon is experimentally well established but is still lacking a fundamental explanation. An atomic-level mechanism for this behavior is proposed here which is based on a kinetic analysis of diffusion in crystalline interfaces. It predicts a reduction or reversal of the flux of host atoms for physically reasonable parameters and can account for the observed effect of copper on electromigration in aluminum conductor lines.
authors.affiliation: Max-Planck-Institut für Metallforschung, Seestrasse 92, D-70174 Stuttgart, Germany.
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Dekker
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Volkert
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Arzt
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gumbsch