Scanning white-beam X-ray micro-diffraction was used to study microstructural evolution during in situ electromigration experiments on a passivated Al(Cu) test line. The data revealed that plastic deformation and grain rotation occurred under the influence of electromigration, and was seen as broadening, movement, and splitting of the reflections diffracted from individual metal grains. It was suggested that this deformation was due to localized shear stresses that arose due to the inhomogeneous transfer of metal along the line. Deviatoric stress measurements revealed changes in the components of stress within the line, including a relaxation of stress when the current was removed.

Electromigration-Induced Plastic Deformation in Passivated Metal Lines. B.C.Valek, J.C.Bravman, N.Tamura, A.A.MacDowell, R.S.Celestre, H.A.Padmore, R.Spolenak, W.L.Brown, B.W.Batterman, J.R.Patel: Applied Physics Letters, 2002, 81[22], 4168-70