Adhesion behavior of electroless deposited Cu on Pt/Ta silicate and Pt/SiO2

Abstract X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was used to characterize the growth mode of sputter deposited Pt at ∼300 K on Ta silicate and SiO 2 thin films formed on a Si(1 0 0) substrate. The ability of Pt thin films to catalyze electroless Cu deposition on Ta silicate and SiO 2 was also studied. The XPS data show that Pt deposition results in conformal growth or “wetting” on Ta silicate and 2-D cluster growth on SiO 2 . Electroless Cu deposition on ∼11 monolayers (MLs) Pt/Ta silicate film results in an adherent Cu film which passed the Scotch tape test. In contrast, electroless Cu deposition on ∼11 ML Pt/SiO 2 results in a non-adherent Cu film due to weak Pt/SiO 2 interaction.