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

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.