title: Real-time TEM imaging of the formation of crystalline nanoscale gaps.
abstract: We present real-time transmission electron microscopy of nanogap formation by feedback controlled electromigration that reveals a remarkable degree of crystalline order. Crystal facets appear during feedback controlled electromigration indicating a layer-by-layer, highly reproducible electromigration process avoiding thermal runaway and melting. These measurements provide insight into the electromigration induced failure mechanism in sub-20 nm size interconnects, indicating that the current density at failure increases as the width decreases to approximately 1 nm.
authors: Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA. drstrach@sas.upenn.edu
authors: Douglas R
authors: DR
authors: Strachan
authors: Danvers E
authors: DE
authors: Johnston
authors: Beth S
authors: BS
authors: Guiton
authors: Sujit S
authors: SS
authors: Datta
authors: Peter K
authors: PK
authors: Davies
authors: Dawn A
authors: DA
authors: Bonnell
authors: A T Charlie
authors: AT
authors: Johnson