Void nucleation on a contaminated patch

The energetics of a simple model of void nucleation on a contaminated patch between the sidewall and metal in an integrated circuit interconnect are examined to determine void nucleation behavior. The conditions under which there is no void nucleation barrier are represented by a simple relationship between the volume driving force, the equilibrium contact angle, the surface energy of the metal, and the contaminated patch radius. The void nucleation barrier, when it exists, is a strong function of these same parameters, and increases sharply as the driving force decreases, and under some conditions, increases with increasing equilibrium contact angle.