A Nanoindentation-Based Microbridge Testing Method for Mechanical Characterization of Thin Films for MEMS Applications

2005 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhiqiang Cao ◽  
Tong-Yi Zhang ◽  
Xin Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Residual Stress ◽  
Residual Stresses ◽  
Young’S Modulus ◽  
Microelectromechanical Systems ◽  
Mechanical Characterization ◽  
Young's Modulus ◽  
Chemical Vapor ◽  
Testing Method ◽  
Chemical Vapor Deposited

Plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposited (PECVD) silane-based oxides (SiOx) have been widely used in both microelectronics and MEMS (MicroElectroMechanical Systems) to form electrical and/or mechanical components. In this paper, a novel nanoindentation-based microbridge testing method is developed to measure both the residual stresses and Young’s modulus of PECVD SiOx films on silicon wafers. Theoretically, we considered both the substrate deformation and residual stress in the thin film and derived a closed formula of deflection versus load. The formula fitted the experimental curves almost perfectly, from which the residual stresses and Young’s modulus of the film were determined. Experimentally, freestanding microbridges made of PECVD SiOx films were fabricated using the silicon undercut bulk micromachining technique. The results showed that the as-deposited PECVD SiOx films had a residual stress of −155±17 MPa and a Young’s modulus of 74.8±3.3 GPa.

scholarly journals Estimation of the Young’s Modulus of Nanometer-Thick Films Using Residual Stress-Driven Bilayer Cantilevers

Nanomaterials ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 265
Author(s):  
Luis A. Velosa-Moncada ◽  
Jean-Pierre Raskin ◽  
Luz Antonio Aguilera-Cortés ◽  
Francisco López-Huerta ◽  
Agustín L. Herrera-May
Keyword(s):  
Residual Stress ◽  
Residual Stresses ◽  
Young’S Modulus ◽  
Young's Modulus ◽  
Thick Films ◽  
Stress Gradient ◽  
Chemical Vapor ◽  
Intrinsic Stress ◽  
Pressure Chemical ◽  
Reference Layer

Precise prediction of mechanical behavior of thin films at the nanoscale requires techniques that consider size effects and fabrication-related issues. Here, we propose a test methodology to estimate the Young’s modulus of nanometer-thick films using micromachined bilayer cantilevers. The bilayer cantilevers which comprise a well-known reference layer and a tested film deflect due to the relief of the residual stresses generated during the fabrication process. The mechanical relationship between the measured residual stresses and the corresponding deflections was used to characterize the tested film. Residual stresses and deflections were related using analytical and finite element models that consider intrinsic stress gradients and the use of adherence layers. The proposed methodology was applied to low pressure chemical vapor deposited silicon nitride tested films with thicknesses ranging from 46 nm to 288 nm. The estimated Young’s modulus values varying between 213.9 GPa and 288.3 GPa were consistent with nanoindentation and alternative residual stress-driven techniques. In addition, the dependence of the results on the thickness and the intrinsic stress gradient of the materials was confirmed. The proposed methodology is simple and can be used to characterize diverse materials deposited under different fabrication conditions.

Microbridge Testing of Thin Films Under Small Deformation

1999 ◽  
Vol 594 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Y. Zhang ◽  
Y. J. Su ◽  
C. F. Qian ◽  
M. H. Zhao ◽  
L. Q. Chen
Keyword(s):  
Thin Films ◽  
Residual Stress ◽  
Silicon Nitride ◽  
Young’S Modulus ◽  
Young's Modulus ◽  
Chemical Vapor ◽  
Small Deformation ◽  
Nitride Film ◽  
Silicon Nitride Film ◽  
Pressure Chemical

AbstractThe present work proposes a novel microbridge testing method to simultaneously evaluate the Young's modulus, residual stress of thin films under small deformation. Theoretic analysis and finite element calculation are conducted on microbridge deformation to provide a closed formula of deflection versus load, considering both substrate deformation and residual stress in the film. Silicon nitride films fabricated by low pressure chemical vapor deposition on silicon substrates are tested to demonstrate the proposed method. The results show that the Young's modulus and residual stress for the annealed silicon nitride film are respectively 202 GPa and 334.9 MPa.

Microbridge Nanoindentation Testing of Plasma-Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposited Silicon Oxide Films

2004 ◽  
Vol 841 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhiqiang Cao ◽  
Tong-Yi Zhang ◽  
Xin Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Residual Stresses ◽  
Thermal Annealing ◽  
Microelectromechanical Systems ◽  
Silicon Oxide ◽  
Chemical Vapor ◽  
Device Fabrication ◽  
Residual Deflection ◽  
Compressive Stresses ◽  
Stress Changes ◽  
Chemical Vapor Deposited

ABSTRACTPlasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposited (PECVD) silane-based oxides (SiOx) have been widely used in both microelectronics and MEMS (MicroElectroMechanical Systems) to form electrical and/or mechanical components. In this paper, a novel nanoindentation-based microbridge testing method is developed to measure both the residual stresses and Young's modulus of PECVD SiOx films. Our theoretical model employed a closed formula of deflection vs. load, considering both substrate deformation and the residual stresses in the thin films. In particular, the non-negligible residual deflection caused by excessive compressive stresses was taken into account. Freestanding microbridges made of PECVD SiOx films were fabricated using bulk micromachining techniques. To simulate the thermal processing in device fabrication, these microbridges were subjected to rapid thermal annealing (RTA) up to 800°C. A microstructure-based mechanism was applied to explain the experimental results of the residual stress changes in PECVD SiOx films after thermal annealing.

Micromechanical Characterization of Dielectric Thin Films

1993 ◽  
Vol 308 ◽  
Author(s):  
James M. Grow
Keyword(s):  
Thin Films ◽  
Young’S Modulus ◽  
Deposition Temperature ◽  
Silicon Oxide ◽  
Young's Modulus ◽  
Chemical Vapor ◽  
Silicon Carbonitride ◽  
Dielectric Thin Films ◽  
Micromechanical Characterization

ABSTRACTA nanoindenter has been used to obtain Young's modulus and hardness data for a variety of dielectric thin films including silicon carbide, boron nitride, silicon carbonitride, and silicon oxide. These films, were synthesized by low pressure and plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition, and had a thickness from 0.25 to a few microns. For the BN films, the modulus and hardness of the films decreased significantly as the deposition temperature increased while the reverse was true for the SiC films. In both cases, these changes were related to variations in the compositions of the deposits due to the onset of different reactions as the temperature is increased. Silicon carbonitride films oxidized slowly when synthesized at temperatures below 200º C and the Young's modulus of these films increased at higher deposition temperatures. For silicon dioxide, there was little change in the composition of the films over the deposition temperature range investigated (375–475º C), thus correspondingly, small variations in the micromechanical properties of the material. However, moisture and hydrogen removal caused by an anneal at 800º C resulted in an significant increase in the modulus and hardness of these films.

Mechanical Characterization of Heterogeneous Polycrystalline Rocks Using Nanoindentation Method in Combination with Generalized Means Method

2020 ◽  
Vol 36 (6) ◽  
pp. 813-823
Author(s):  
M.R. Ayatollahi ◽  
M. Zare Najafabadi ◽  
S. S. R. Koloor ◽  
Michal Petrů
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Properties ◽  
Young’S Modulus ◽  
Mechanical Characterization ◽  
Young's Modulus ◽  
Numerical Approach ◽  
Empirical Constant ◽  
Nanoindentation Experiment ◽  
Granite Rocks ◽  
Granite Samples

ABSTRACTThe mechanical characterization of rocks is important in engineering design and analysis of rock-related structures. In the current researches, rocks are classified as heterogeneous materials with anisotropic behavior, and advanced methods such as combined experimental-numerical approach are developed to characterize the behavior of rocks. In this study, the nanoindentation experiment in conjunction with the generalized means method is used to determine the Young’s modulus and hardness of eight different polycrystalline granite rocks. In the first step, the Young’s modulus and hardness of granites’ constituents are determined through nanoindentation tests on pure granite minerals. Then, the properties of granites are determined using generalized means method by considering the mechanical properties of minerals, their volume fractions and an empirical constant called the microstructural coefficient. Accurate results with less than 3% error are obtained for 62.5% of the granite samples. The generalized means is introduced as a simple and effective method to characterize the mechanical properties of heterogeneous polycrystalline rocks.

scholarly journals Investigation of the Young’s Modulus and the Residual Stress of 4H-SiC Circular Membranes on 4H-SiC Substrates

Micromachines ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 801 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jaweb Ben Messaoud ◽  
Jean-François Michaud ◽  
Dominique Certon ◽  
Massimo Camarda ◽  
Nicolò Piluso ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Properties ◽  
Residual Stress ◽  
Young’S Modulus ◽  
Microelectromechanical Systems ◽  
Film Growth ◽  
Electrochemical Etching ◽  
Young's Modulus ◽  
Fabrication Process ◽  
Bulge Test ◽  
Residual Strains

The stress state is a crucial parameter for the design of innovative microelectromechanical systems based on silicon carbide (SiC) material. Hence, mechanical properties of such structures highly depend on the fabrication process. Despite significant progresses in thin-film growth and fabrication process, monitoring the strain of the suspended SiC thin-films is still challenging. However, 3C-SiC membranes on silicon (Si) substrates have been demonstrated, but due to the low quality of the SiC/Si heteroepitaxy, high levels of residual strains were always observed. In order to achieve promising self-standing films with low residual stress, an alternative micromachining technique based on electrochemical etching of high quality homoepitaxy 4H-SiC layers was evaluated. This work is dedicated to the determination of their mechanical properties and more specifically, to the characterization of a 4H-SiC freestanding film with a circular shape. An inverse problem method was implemented, where experimental results obtained from bulge test are fitted with theoretical static load-deflection curves of the stressed membrane. To assess data validity, the dynamic behavior of the membrane was also investigated: Experimentally, by means of laser Doppler vibrometry (LDV) and theoretically, by means of finite element computations. The two methods provided very similar results since one obtained a Young’s modulus of 410 GPa and a residual stress value of 41 MPa from bulge test against 400 GPa and 30 MPa for the LDV analysis. The determined Young’s modulus is in good agreement with literature values. Moreover, residual stress values demonstrate that the fabrication of low-stressed SiC films is achievable thanks to the micromachining process developed.

Temperature dependence of Young’s modulus and degradation of chemical vapor deposited diamond

1999 ◽  
Vol 86 (11) ◽  
pp. 6010-6017 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Szuecs ◽  
M. Werner ◽  
R. S. Sussmann ◽  
C. S. J. Pickles ◽  
H. J. Fecht
Keyword(s):  
Temperature Dependence ◽  
Young’S Modulus ◽  
Young's Modulus ◽  
Chemical Vapor ◽  
Chemical Vapor Deposited
Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document