Impact of process control on electrical breakdown characteristics of quasi-one-dimensional ZrTe3 interconnects

X Xinyue Xu X Xiaokun Wen (State Key Laboratory of Material Processing and Die & Mould Technology, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology 1 , Wuhan 430074,) B Boyuan Di (State Key Laboratory of Material Processing and Die and Mould Technology, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology 1 , Wuhan 430074,) W Wenyu Lei (State Key Laboratory of Material Processing and Die & Mould Technology, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology 1 , Wuhan 430074,) W Wenchao Kong (State Key Laboratory of Material Processing and Die & Mould Technology, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology 1 , Wuhan 430074,) Y Yuxiang Wang (Key Laboratory of Photochemical Conversion and Optoelectronic Materials & CAS-HKU Joint Laboratory on New Materials) S Shiwan Zou (State Key Laboratory of Material Processing and Die and Mould Technology, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology 1 , Wuhan 430074,) L Liqiang Chen (State Key Laboratory of Material Processing and Die and Mould Technology, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology 1 , Wuhan 430074,) H Haixin Chang W Wenfeng Zhang

Abstract

We have clarified the impact of process control on the electrical breakdown characteristics of quasi-one-dimensional ZrTe3 interconnects. The regulation of contact resistance by process control enables significant variance of both breakdown current density and structural characteristics. The ZrTe3 interconnects fabricated with a conventional photolithography process show high contact resistance, low breakdown current density, and electromigration-dominated structural breakdown characteristics. By supplementing a reactive ion etching step to reduce contact resistance, the breakdown current density and structural characteristics change significantly. Further contact resistance reduction by adopting a transfer process promotes significantly increased breakdown current density and distinct thermal decomposition-dominated structural characteristics. The current investigation implies that the process control is crucial for quasi-one-dimensional ZrTe3 interconnects.

Article Details

Volume / Issue Vol. 127, Issue 9
Published September 01, 2025
ISSN 0003-6951
Publisher American Institute of Physics

Journal Info

Applied Physics Letters

American Institute of Physics

ISSN: 0003-6951 Physical Sciences

Authors (10)

X

Xinyue Xu

X

Xiaokun Wen

State Key Laboratory of Material Processing and Die & Mould Technology, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology 1 , Wuhan 430074,

B

Boyuan Di

State Key Laboratory of Material Processing and Die and Mould Technology, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology 1 , Wuhan 430074,

W

Wenyu Lei

State Key Laboratory of Material Processing and Die & Mould Technology, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology 1 , Wuhan 430074,

W

Wenchao Kong

State Key Laboratory of Material Processing and Die & Mould Technology, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology 1 , Wuhan 430074,

Y

Yuxiang Wang

Key Laboratory of Photochemical Conversion and Optoelectronic Materials & CAS-HKU Joint Laboratory on New Materials

S

Shiwan Zou

State Key Laboratory of Material Processing and Die and Mould Technology, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology 1 , Wuhan 430074,

L

Liqiang Chen

State Key Laboratory of Material Processing and Die and Mould Technology, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology 1 , Wuhan 430074,

H

Haixin Chang

W

Wenfeng Zhang