WE used to live with hillocks when we were trying advanced processing 2
layers of metal.  Hey this was in the 80"s, did not have a cure but it
caused a lot of metal to metal short problems. If you research aluminum
hillock problems some one should have a solution by now.

Bill Moffat

________________________________

From: [email protected] on behalf of shay kaplan
Sent: Sat 9/27/2008 12:31 AM
To: [email protected]; 'General MEMS discussion'
Subject: Re: [mems-talk] "cavity" formation after annealing of evaporated
aluminium on Si

Julie,

Sound like hillocks. It forms when heating evaporated aluminum because of
the TCE differences. The aluminum expands gets detached from the surface
causing the small bumps that remain when the sample is cooled.

Shay