Amorphous　Zr-B-N　thin　films　were　prepared　on　Si　substrates　by　DC　reactive　magnetron　sputtering　as　diffusion　barriers　for　advanced　Cu　interconnection.　To　evaluate　its　thermal　stability　and　barrier　performance,　Cu/Zr-B-N/Si　stacked　structures　were　annealed　in　high　vacuum　at　temperatures　varying　from　500　°C　to　700　°C　for　30　min.　The　Zr-B-N　films　remained　amorphous　after　annealing　at　600　°C　and　crystalized　at　650　°C,　effectively　block　the　intermixing　of　Cu　and　Si　atoms.　However,　the　thin　films　became　invalid　after　annealing　at　700　°C　and　high-resistivity　Cu3Si　compounds　formed,　revealing　the　significant　atomic　diffusion　between　Cu　and　Si.　The　excellent　barrier　performance　and　high　thermal　stability　of　Zr-B-N　is　attributed　to　the　stable　amorphous　structure.　Therefore,　the　amorphous　Zr-B-N　thin　film　can　be　exploited　as　a　promising　diffusion　barrier　for　Cu　interconnect　technology.　©　2020　Elsevier　B.V.