×

Dynamic testing of electrical conductors

  • US RE32,625 E
  • Filed: 08/18/1986
  • Issued: 03/15/1988
  • Est. Priority Date: 01/05/1983
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
Patent Images

1. A method for determining the kinetic parameters of activation energy and pre-exponential factor which characterizes electromigration failure in a thin film conductor that is subject to high current densities at elevated temperatures, said method .[.includes.]. .Iadd.including .Iaddend.the steps ofplacing a thin film conductor in a .[.predetermined atmosphere.]. .Iadd.testing device.Iaddend.,electrically stressing the thin film conductor, while in said .[.atmosphere.]. .Iadd.testing device.Iaddend., by applying a uniform current thereto,heating the stressed conductor to increase the conductor temperature at a linear rate with respect to time,measuring changes in resistance of the current stressed conductor as it is being heated at a linear rate,reducing the measured changes in resistance by those changes due to the temperature dependent components of resistance to determine the changes in resistance produced by the electromigration failure process,determining the activation energy and pre-exponential factor by relating the measured changes in resistance with respect to time produced by the electromigration failure process to the following zeroth order rate expression:

  • 
    
    space="preserve" listing-type="equation">1/R.sub.o dR/dt=A exp (-Q/kT)where;

    Ro is the initial resistance of the thin film conductor, dR/dt is the variation in the conductor resistance produced by the electromigration process, Q is the activation energy for the process, A is the pre-exponential for the process, k is Boltzmann'"'"'s constant and T is absolute temperature.

View all claims
  • 0 Assignments
Timeline View
Assignment View
    ×
    ×