摘要
This paper presents a surface modification method for silver (Ag) nanoparticles using self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) to mitigate electrochemical migration (ECM) in fine-pitch Ag interconnects under humid and biased conditions for electronic devices. SAMs are formed by immersing the samples in a 10 mM ethanolic solution of 1dodecanethiol for varying durations. The SAM layers show good chemical stability after room-temperature storage for 72 h and under continuous electrical bias of 3 V for 1 h. In addition, the SAM-treated samples demonstrate a 3 to 5-fold improvement in ECM resistance compared to untreated counterparts, with the best performance observed after 18 hours of immersion. Surface analysis confirm the formation of Ag-SR bonding in chelating complexes on the Ag surface after SAM treatment. The neutral charge of the Ag-SR complex reduces its susceptibility to electric field in the aqueous environment, thereby lowering Ag solubility and increasing migration activation energy, which in turn enhances the ECM resistance of the SAM-treated samples. This approach offers a simple, low-cost, and scalable strategy for improving the reliability of printed metal interconnects in moisture-prone environments.