The mechanical properties and microstructure of plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposited silicon nitride thin films

1991 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 2464-2468 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Ashley Taylor
Keyword(s):  
Thin Films ◽  
Mechanical Properties ◽  
Silicon Nitride ◽  
Chemical Vapor ◽  
Chemical Vapor Deposited

Bulge testing and fracture properties of plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposited silicon nitride thin films

2009 ◽  
Vol 517 (6) ◽  
pp. 1989-1994 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei Zhou ◽  
Jinling Yang ◽  
Yan Li ◽  
An Ji ◽  
Fuhua Yang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thin Films ◽  
Silicon Nitride ◽  
Chemical Vapor ◽  
Fracture Properties ◽  
Bulge Testing ◽  
Chemical Vapor Deposited

scholarly journals Material Structure and Mechanical Properties of Silicon Nitride and Silicon Oxynitride Thin Films Deposited by Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition

Surfaces ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 59-72 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhenghao Gan ◽  
Changzheng Wang ◽  
Zhong Chen
Keyword(s):  
Thin Films ◽  
Mechanical Properties ◽  
Fracture Toughness ◽  
Silicon Nitride ◽  
Flow Rate ◽  
Vapor Deposition ◽  
Chemical Vapor ◽  
Silicon Oxynitride ◽  
Flow Rates ◽  
Silicon Nitride Films

Silicon nitride and silicon oxynitride thin films are widely used in microelectronic fabrication and microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). Their mechanical properties are important for MEMS structures; however, these properties are rarely reported, particularly the fracture toughness of these films. In this study, silicon nitride and silicon oxynitride thin films were deposited by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) under different silane flow rates. The silicon nitride films consisted of mixed amorphous and crystalline Si3N4 phases under the range of silane flow rates investigated in the current study, while the crystallinity increased with silane flow rate in the silicon oxynitride films. The Young’s modulus and hardness of silicon nitride films decreased with increasing silane flow rate. However, for silicon oxynitride films, Young’s modulus decreased slightly with increasing silane flow rate, and the hardness increased considerably due to the formation of a crystalline silicon nitride phase at the high flow rate. Overall, the hardness, Young modulus, and fracture toughness of the silicon nitride films were greater than the ones of silicon oxynitride films, and the main reason lies with the phase composition: the SiNx films were composed of a crystalline Si3N4 phase, while the SiOxNy films were dominated by amorphous Si–O phases. Based on the overall mechanical properties, PECVD silicon nitride films are preferred for structural applications in MEMS devices.

scholarly journals Nanomechanical spectroscopy of ultrathin silicon nitride suspended membranes

2021 ◽  
Vol 93 (5) ◽  
pp. 50301
Author(s):  
Sanket S. Jugade ◽  
Anuj Aggarwal ◽  
Akshay K. Naik
Keyword(s):  
Thin Films ◽  
Mechanical Properties ◽  
Elastic Modulus ◽  
Silicon Nitride ◽  
Chemical Vapor ◽  
Intrinsic Stress ◽  
Nanomechanical Resonator ◽  
Pressure Chemical ◽  
Suspended Membrane ◽  
Nano Electromechanical System

Mechanical properties of a nanomechanical resonator significantly impact the performance of a resonant Nano-electromechanical system (NEMS) device. We study the mechanical properties of suspended membranes fabricated out of low-pressure chemical vapor deposited silicon nitride thin films. We fabricated doubly-clamped membranes of silicon nitride with thickness less than 50 nm and length varying from 5 to 60 μm. The elastic modulus and stress in the suspended membranes were measured using Atomic Force Microscope (AFM)-based nanomechanical spectroscopy. The elastic moduli of the suspended membranes are significantly higher than those of corresponding on-substrate thin films. We observed a reduction in net stress after the fabrication of suspended membrane, which is explained by estimating the thermal stress and intrinsic stress. We also use a mathematical model to study the stress and thickness-dependent elastic modulus of the ultrathin membranes. Lastly, we study the capillary force-gradient between the SiNx suspended membrane-Si substrate that could collapse the suspended membrane.

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