Filtered cathodic vacuum arc deposition of thin film copper

A major obstacle for metallization application of filtered cathodic vacuum arc (FCVA) is the presence of micro-particles. By using an off-plane double bend magnetic filter, metallic films can be deposited with relevant deposition rates and free of micro-particles. Clean copper thin films with low electrical resistivity were deposited by filtered cathodic vacuum arc techniques at room temperature. All the copper films have a polycrystalline structure and preferably oriented to (111). When the substrate bias is applied, the (111) orientation of Cu film is further enhanced. The internal stress of the films is strongly dependent on the substrate bias. When the bias increases from 0 to -600 V, the internal stress of the film changes from tensile to compressive. At the bias of -300 V, a stress-free Cu film can be obtained.