According to this interview, TSMC was the first to deploy copper interconnects in a production process.<p>"...So, when we went to .13u, .13u the
people began to change from aluminum to copper. And IBM was the leader for the copper metal. They
had the longest history of developing copper technology. They worked for more than ten years on copper.
TSMC didn't have any experience in copper at all. So, when we decided we need to adopt copper, okay.
So, the copper is one story and low-k material is another one. IBM decided kind of low-k material is a
spin-on material called SILK. IBM had a Research Consortium that IBM-- Samsung joined them, I think,
ST Micro joined them. Several companies joined the Consortium.<p>"And UMC joined them. But we didn't join them. They all used that spin-on low-K material. But
we decided to use CVD - instead of flourine-doped it's a carbon-doped made by Applied Materials.
They're called Black Diamond. So, we choose Black Diamond. The reason we chose Black Diamond was
very simple, because I suffer at .18 with a spin-on. I wouldn't touch spin-on again. <laughter> But they
didn't go through that. So, we were very, very lucky. TSMC became the first company in the world which
was able to ship a manufacturing wafers with the copper and low-k, because IBM failed..."<p>".13u was actually the very important node for TSMC. Because we became the first one in the
world to deliver manufacturing wafer of copper and low-K."<p>--Moris Chiang<p><a href="https://www.computerhistory.org/collections/catalog/102658129" rel="nofollow">https://www.computerhistory.org/collections/catalog/10265812...</a>