The behavior of recrystallization and grain growth was examined in Cu-Cu joints during electromigration at 150 °C. Recrystallization and grain growth were observed in all the joints after electromigration for 9000 h. Voiding was formed in Cu current-feeding lines and in bonding interfaces, and resistance increased with time due to the void formation. However, instead of rising abruptly, the resistance of certain Cu joints dropped after 7000 h. Microstructural analysis revealed that a large grain growth occurred in these joints at 150 °C, and the bonding interface was eliminated. Therefore, the electromigration lifetime can be prolonged for these joints.

Highly (111)-oriented nanotwinned Cu (nt-Cu) films were fabricated on silicon wafers for thermal-stress characterization. We tailored the microstructural features (grain scale and orientation) of the films by tuning the electroplating parameters. The films were heat-treated and the relaxation behaviors of thermal stresses in the films were explored using a bending beam system. Focused ion beam (FIB) and electron back-scattered diffraction (EBSD) were then employed to characterize the transformations of the microstructure, grain size, and orientation degree of the films. The results indicated that the degree of (111)-preferred orientation and grain size significantly decrease with increasing the current density. The nt-Cu films with a higher degree of (111)-preferred orientation and larger grains exhibit the slower rates of stress relaxation. The film with larger grains possesses a smaller grain boundary area; thus, the grain boundary diffusion for the thermal-stress release is suppressed. In addition, the induced tensile stress in the films with larger grains is smaller leading to the difference in microstructural changes under annealing.