Electrochemical impedance characteristics of Ta/Cu contact regions in polishing slurries used for chemical mechanical planarization of Ta and Cu: considerations of galvanic corrosion

The contact areas between Cu and Ta of a Cu interconnect can be susceptible to galvanic corrosion during chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) in polishing slurries capable of supporting ionic conduction. In the present work, we probe this effect at a partially Cu-covered Ta disk, by combining electrochemical impedance spectroscopy with potentiodynamic polarization and galvanic current measurements in two slurry solutions commonly used in CMP of Ta and Cu. The results of these measurements are compared with those for a Cu disk and a (Cu-free) Ta disk. The impedance data for the Cu-decorated Ta sample show negative impedance values at certain regions of the impedance spectra, whereas the individual Cu and Ta electrodes are free of this effect. The results are examined and explained from considerations of galvanic corrosion at the Ta/Cu bordering regions in contact with the slurry liquid. (C) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.