Atomistic simulations of interconnect metallization

As a result of miniaturization of electronic devices, linear dimension of interconnect metal lines is approaching 0.1 micron. As a result, resistance of the metal lines to electromigration failures is affected or even dictated by their atomic structure. To rigorously simulate the atomic structures, we have developed an atomistic simulator for processing of the interconnect metal lines. The simulator is based on a hierarchy of methods including first principles, molecular dynamics, and Monte Carlo methods. Our simulation results of texture competition agree with available experimental observations.