A theoretical analysis was made of the morphological evolution and stability of transgranular wedge-shaped voids, in conductor lines with a bamboo grain structure, under an applied electric field. A linear stability analysis identified those void shapes that became unstable with respect to the growth of perturbations with wavelengths that were longer than a critical value. The analysis predicted a critical wavelength that was consistent with experimental observations of unpassivated Al lines. The predicted changes in shape during morphological evolution of the void surfaces were in agreement with experimental observations.

D.Maroudas: Applied Physics Letters, 1995, 67[6], 798-800