Research Projects

The proposal presents a computational approach to understanding and mitigating electromigration, a critical reliability concern in modern microelectronic devices. Electromigration involves the movement of metal atoms in electrical conductors due to high current densities. This atomic movement forms voids and hillocks, ultimately leading to failure in integrated circuits. It accounts for a significant proportion of malfunctions in electronic devices, especially affecting metallic interconnects and vias within semiconductor chips. The project seeks to develop advanced simulation methods to study the electromigration mechanism at the atomic level. Unlike earlier studies that relied on continuum models focusing on mass and thermal transport, this proposal emphasizes atomistic simulations using molecular dynamics (MD). Classical MD is limited by short time scales and is inadequate for simulating slow processes such as electromigration. To overcome this, the research will employ accelerated molecular dynamics techniques along with kinetic Monte Carlo simulations. Accelerated MD can simulate rare events by extending the accessible time scales, while kinetic Monte Carlo helps model the long-term evolution of features like void growth under electromigration conditions. The simulations will address both single-crystal and polycrystalline systems. In single-crystal studies, the role of current direction relative to crystal orientation will be investigated, as well as the effects of temperature, thermal gradients, and local elastic stresses. For polycrystalline systems, variations in grain structure and other microstructural features will be analyzed to understand their influence on electromigration. The project will also explore bicrystal systems to assess the impact of Coincidence Site Lattice (CSL) grain boundaries. Additionally, the behavior of nanowires will be examined to evaluate size effects on the electromigration process. These atomistic-level studies are expected to provide detailed insights into the evolution of damage caused by electromigration. Based on the simulation results, the project will offer design guidelines and recommendations to reduce the susceptibility of materials to electromigration. This will aid in developing more reliable interconnects for use in advanced semiconductor technologies. The relevance of this research is heightened by the growing focus on semiconductor manufacturing and chip design in India. With several fabrication facilities and chip design initiatives emerging in the country, the issue of electromigration has become a topic of national interest. While global research has made significant progress in electromigration-aware design, such efforts are relatively limited in India. This proposal aims to address that gap by creating indigenous capabilities in atomistic modeling and simulation of electromigration, thereby contributing to both the scientific community and the semiconductor industry in the country.