Predictive modeling of contact and via modules for advanced on-chip interconnect technology
A computer program product estimates performance of a back end of line (BEOL) structure of a semiconductor integrated circuit (IC). Code executes on a computer to dynamically predict an electrical resistance of the BEOL structure based on input data specific to multiple layers of the BEOL structure. The BEOL structure can be a contact or a via. The layers of the contact/via include an inner filling material and an outer liner. The code accounts for a width scatter effect of the inner filling material, as well as a slope profile of the contact/via.
1. A computer program product for predicting electrical characteristics of a back end of line (BEOL) structure of a semiconductor integrated circuit (IC), the computer program product being tangibly stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium, comprising:
code executing on a computer to predict electrical characteristics of the BEOL structure having multiple layers comprising:
an electrical resistance, R, of the BEOL structure based on input data specific to the multiple layers of the BEOL structure;
an electron scattering characteristic of an inner filling material of the BEOL structure; and
where R is based on:
R
=
4
(
ρ
1
H
+
ρ
2
T
t
)
π
CD
eff
2
where H is the height of the BEOL structure,
T t is the thickness of the outer liner,
CD eff is an average of a top effective width and a bottom effective width,
ρ 1 is width dependent resistivity of the inner filling material, and
ρ 2 is bulk resistivity of the outer liner.
2. The computer program product of claim 1 , in which the BEOL structure comprises a via.
3. The computer program product of claim 2 , in which the multiple layers of the via comprise the inner filling material and an outer liner.
4. The computer program product of claim 3 , in which the code accounts for a width scatter effect of the inner filling material.
5. The computer program product of claim 1 , wherein the BEOL structure comprises a contact and in which the multiple layers of the contact comprise the inner filling material and an outer liner.
6. The computer program product of claim 5 , in which the code accounts for a width scatter effect of the inner filling material.
7. A system for predicting electrical characteristics of a BEOL structure of a semiconductor integrated circuit (IC), comprising:
means for predicting resistance, R, of the BEOL structure based on input data specific to a plurality of layers of the BEOL structure;
means for predicting an electron scattering characteristic of an inner filling material of the BEOL structure; and
where R is based on:
R
=
4
(
ρ
1
H
+
ρ
2
T
t
)
π
CD
eff
2
where H is the height of the BEOL structure,
T t is the thickness of the outer liner,
CD eff is an average of a top effective width and a bottom effective width,
ρ 1 is width dependent resistivity of the inner filling material, and
ρ 2 is bulk resistivity of the outer liner.
8. The system of claim 7 , in which the BEOL structure comprises a via.
9. The system of claim 7 , in which the BEOL structure comprises a contact.
10. The system of claim 7 , in which the electron scattering predicting means accounts for a width scatter effect of one of the layers.
11. The system of claim 7 , in which the resistance predicting means accounts for a slope profile of the BEOL structure.
12. A computer program product for predicting electrical characteristics of a back end of line (BEOL) structure of a semiconductor integrated circuit (IC), the computer program product being tangibly stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium, comprising:
code executing on a computer to predict electrical characteristics of the BEOL structure having multiple layers comprising:
an electrical resistance, R, of the BEOL structure based on input data specific to the multiple layers of the BEOL structure;
an electron scattering characteristic of an inner filling material of the BEOL structure; and
where R is based on:
R
=
ρ
1
H
π
(
r
eff
2
+
(
2
r
eff
+
T
t
)
T
t
ρ
1
ρ
2
)
+
ρ
2
T
t
π
(
r
2
+
T
t
)
2
where H is the height of the BEOL structure,
Tt is the thickness of the outer liner,
reff is an average of a top radius and a bottom radius,
r 2 is a bottom radius,
ρ 1 is width dependent resistivity of the inner filling material, and
ρ 2 is bulk resistivity of the outer liner.
13. The computer program product of claim 12 , in which the BEOL structure comprises a via.
14. The computer program product of claim 13 , in which the multiple layers of the via comprise the inner filling material and an outer liner.
15. The computer program product of claim 14 , in which the code accounts for a width scatter effect of the inner filling material.