Revealing the Origins of Thermally Induced Anomaly in 18 nm Pitch Ruthenium Nanointerconnects on 300 mm Wafers

at 420 °C) self-diffusion coefficients, respectively. Over time, Ru atoms self-diffuse and accumulate on sidewall surfaces, causing cylinderization, consistent with experimental observations. This work identifies a previously unrecognized manufacturing and reliability challenge in Ru nanointerconnects and reveals its atomistic origins, providing insights of direct relevance to industry for transition from Cu to Ru in future ultrascaled nanointerconnects at Angstrom technology nodes.