Fundamentals of Electromigration

In this chapter, electromigration is formulated as a phenomenon of mass transport in metals under an electrical current driving force within the framework of irreversible thermodynamics. Based on this approach, the solute effect on electromigration is analyzed by considering the correlation in atomic jumping processes, a problem that is of interest to understand how solute addition can affect electromigration in metals. This is followed by a review of the theory of the electromigration driving force and a discussion of the controversy of the electron screening effect. This chapter is concluded by reviewing the results on substitutional and interstitial electromigration in bulk metals.