Influence of thermal treatment on the adhesion of copper coatings on carbon substrates

If a molybdenum-intermediate layer is deposited, no dewetting of the Cu-film takes place, although recrystallization occurs. Additionally the adhesion of the Cu-film is, depending on a minimum thickness of the molybdenum layer, low in the as-deposited state and is strongly increased after the annealing step. SIMS-measurements indicate that this increase is caused by the formation of molybdenum-carbides during the heat treatment.