The revolution in materials and processes for IC metallization presents exciting challenges for the future. This book, the 16th in a popular series from MRS, provides a forum within the IC metallization community, across industrial, academic and government institutions, for presentation and discussion of leading-edge research, development and technology. In particular, the volume focuses on Cu and low-k dielectrics spanning materials, properties, processing, integration and reliability. Two keynote addresses are featured - one on ‘The MARCO/DARPA Interconnect Focus Cente’ a cooperative research program involving several top universities in the U.S. whose mission it is to explore new interconnect strategies for the future, the other on ‘Low-Cost and High-Performance DRAM Technology’. Additional topics include: integration of damascene architectures; copper-deposition processes and properties; barriers for copper; low-k dielectrics; aluminum, tungsten and DRAM metallization; silicides; CMP/cleaning/etching; process modeling and reliability.