FIB-Based Fatigue Testing of Silicon Nitride Thin Films for Space Applications

2004 ◽  
Vol 851 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wen-Hsien Chuang ◽  
Rainer K. Fettig ◽  
Reza Ghodssi
Keyword(s):  
Thin Films ◽  
Silicon Nitride ◽  
Focused Ion Beam ◽  
Fatigue Testing ◽  
Ion Beam ◽  
Fatigue Properties ◽  
Test Duration ◽  
Electrostatic Actuator ◽  
Space Applications ◽  
James Webb Space Telescope

ABSTRACTA novel micro-scale electrostatic actuator has been designed and fabricated to study fatigue properties of low-stress LPCVD silicon nitride thin films, which are the structural materials of microshutter arrays to be used in NASA's James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). To obtain different stress levels without high applied voltages, the electrostatic actuator was designed based on a resonant technique to achieve mechanical amplification. All fabricated devices were tested inside a focused-ion-beam (FIB) system with pressure of 10-6 torr at room temperature (23 ± 1 °C) and with the test duration ranging from 5 seconds to 8.5 hours, 105 to 109 cycles, respectively. From the experiment, no fatigue failure of low-stress LPCVD silicon nitride thin films has been observed up to 109 testing cycles, four orders of magnitude higher than the expected lifetime of the microshutter arrays. The presented test device and experimental technique can be extended to characterize fatigue properties for other thin film materials.

An electrostatic actuator for fatigue testing of low-stress LPCVD silicon nitride thin films

2005 ◽  
Vol 121 (2) ◽  
pp. 557-565 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wen-Hsien Chuang ◽  
Rainer K. Fettig ◽  
Reza Ghodssi
Keyword(s):  
Thin Films ◽  
Silicon Nitride ◽  
Fatigue Testing ◽  
Electrostatic Actuator

Fatigue Testing Machine of Micro-Sized Specimens for MEMS Applications

1999 ◽  
Vol 605 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Higo ◽  
K. Takashima ◽  
M. Shimojo ◽  
S. Sugiura ◽  
B. Pfister ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Focused Ion Beam ◽  
Fatigue Testing ◽  
Ion Beam ◽  
Testing Machine ◽  
Load Cell ◽  
Fatigue Properties ◽  
Type Specimens ◽  
New Type ◽  
Beam Type ◽  
Magnetostrictive Actuator

AbstractA new type of fatigue testing machine for micro-sized specimens for MEMS applications has been developed. This fatigue testing machine consists of a magnetostrictive actuator which is able to impart small displacements to a specimen upto 20 νm with resolution of 5 nm. The actuator is connected to a metal shaft and a diamond tip of 5 νm in radius is attached to the end of the shaft. Small displacements are applied to the specimen through the diamond tip. This makes it possible to construct a high stiffness loading fixture. The magnitude of load applied to the specimen is measured by a strain gauge type load cell with a load resolution of 10 νN. The specimen stage and load cell can be moved to adjust the loading position precisely by a stepping motor at a translation resolution of 0.1 νm. Cantilever beam type specimens with dimensions of 10 × 12 × 50 νm3 were prepared from a Ni-P amorphous thin film by focused ion beam machining. Very small cyclic load (ΔP = 0.1 - 40 mN) was able to be applied to the specimen successfully. This machine appears to be promising for evaluation of fatigue properties for micro-sized specimens for MEMS applications.

Mechanical Properties of Electroplated Copper Thin Films

1999 ◽  
Vol 594 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Spolenak ◽  
C. A. Volkert ◽  
K. Takahashi ◽  
S. Fiorillo ◽  
J. Miner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thin Films ◽  
Mechanical Properties ◽  
Grain Size ◽  
Film Thickness ◽  
Yield Stress ◽  
Laser Scanning ◽  
Focused Ion Beam ◽  
Ion Beam ◽  
Cu Films ◽  
Electroplated Copper

AbstractIt is well known that the mechanical properties of thin films depend critically on film thickness However, the contributions from film thickness and grain size are difficult to separate, because they typically scale with each other. In one study by Venkatraman and Bravman, Al films, which were thinned using anodic oxidation to reduce film thickness without changing grain size, showed a clear increase in yield stress with decreasing film thickness.We have performed a similar study on both electroplated and sputtered Cu films by using chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP) to reduce the film thickness without changing the grain size. Stress-temperature curves were measured for both the electroplated and sputtered Cu films with thicknesses between 0.1 and 1.8 microns using a laser scanning wafer curvature technique. The yield stress at room temperature was found to increase with decreasing film thickness for both sets of samples. The sputtered films, however, showed higher yield stresses in comparison to the electroplated films. Most of these differences can be attributed to the different microstructures of the films, which were determined by focused ion beam (FIB) microscopy and x-ray diffraction.

Fabrication of Sub-250nm High Aspect Ratio Apertures by Focused Ion Beam Lithography

2006 ◽  
Vol 983 ◽  
Author(s):  
Todd Simpson ◽  
Ian V Mitchell
Keyword(s):  
Silicon Nitride ◽  
High Resolution ◽  
Focused Ion Beam ◽  
Ion Beam ◽  
Gold Films ◽  
Ion Beam Lithography ◽  
Diameter Hole ◽  
Sem Imaging ◽  
Aperture Arrays

AbstractAperture arrays were fabricated in 1.0µm thick gold films supported on 20nm thick silicon nitride membranes. Lithographic milling strategies in gold were evaluated through the use of in-situ sectioning and high resolution SEM imaging with the UWO CrossBeam FIB/SEM. A successful strategy for producing a 250nm diameter hole with sidewalls approaching vertical is summarized.

Electron and ion beam degradation effects in AES analysis of silicon nitride thin films

1985 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 79-87 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Fransen ◽  
R. Vanden Berghe ◽  
R. Vlaeminck ◽  
M. Hinoul ◽  
J. Remmerie ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thin Films ◽  
Silicon Nitride ◽  
Ion Beam

Effects of P Content on Morphology of Nanocrystals Induced by FIB Irradiation in Ni-P Amorphous Alloy

2006 ◽  
Vol 960 ◽  
Author(s):  
Koji Sato ◽  
Chiemi Ishiyama ◽  
Masato Sone ◽  
Yakichi Higo
Keyword(s):  
Thin Films ◽  
Amorphous Alloy ◽  
Crystallographic Orientation ◽  
Focused Ion Beam ◽  
Ion Beam ◽  
Orientation Relationships ◽  
Beam Direction ◽  
Precipitation Distribution ◽  
P Content

ABSTRACTWe studied the effects of phosphorus (P) on Ni nanocrystalline morphology formed by focused ion beam (FIB) irradiation for Ni-P amorphous alloy thin films. The P content in the amorphous alloy was varied from 8 to 12 wt.%. The nanocrystals induced by the FIB irradiation for Ni-11.8, 8.9, 7.9 wt.% amorphous alloy had an f.c.c. structure and showed unique crystallographic orientation relationships to the geometry of the focused ion beam, that is, {111}f.c.c. parallel to the irradiated plane and <110>f.c.c. parallel to the projected ion beam direction, respectively. The Ni nanocrystals precipitated like aggregates with decreasing of the P content. These results represent that the P content does not affect crystallographic orientation relationships, while influences the precipitation distribution of Ni nanocrystals generated by the FIB irradiation.

Resonant Fatigue Testing of Cantilever Specimens Prepared from Thin Films

2008 ◽  
Vol 1139 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kwangsik Kwak ◽  
Masaaki Otsu ◽  
Kazuki Takashima
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Thin Films ◽  
Cantilever Beam ◽  
Microelectromechanical Systems ◽  
Fatigue Testing ◽  
Crystalline Silicon ◽  
Gold Foil ◽  
Fatigue Properties ◽  
Mems Devices ◽  
Testing Method

AbstractFatigue properties of thin film materials are extremely important to design durable and reliable microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) devices. However, it is rather difficult to apply conventional fatigue testing method of bulk materials to thin films. Therefore, a fatigue testing method fitted to thin film materials is required. In this investigation, we have developed a fatigue testing method that uses a resonance of cantilever type specimen prepared from thin films. Cantilever beam specimens with dimensions of 1(W) × 3(L) × 0.01(t) mm3 were prepared from Ni-P amorphous alloy thin films and gold foils. In addition, cantilever beam specimens with dimension of 3(L) × 0.3(W) × 0.005(t) mm3 were also prepared from single crystalline silicon thin films. These specimens were fixed to a holder that is connected to an golddio speaker used as an actuator, and were resonated in bending mode. In order to check the validity of this testing method, Young's moduli of these specimens were measured from resonant frequencies. The average Young's modulus of Ni-P was 108 GPa and that of gold foil specimen was 63 GPa, and these values were comparable with those measured by other techniques. This indicates that the resonance occurred theoretically-predicted manner and this testing method is valid for measuring the fatigue properties of thin films. Resonant fatigue tests were carried out for these specimens by changing amplitude range of resonance, and S-N curves were successfully obtained.

In Vivo Biostability of CVD Silicon Oxide and Silicon Nitride Films

2005 ◽  
Vol 872 ◽  
Author(s):  
John M. Maloney ◽  
Sara A. Lipka ◽  
Samuel P. Baldwin
Keyword(s):  
Chemical Vapor Deposition ◽  
Silicon Nitride ◽  
Vapor Deposition ◽  
Focused Ion Beam ◽  
Silicon Oxide ◽  
Ion Beam ◽  
Chemical Vapor ◽  
Silicon Chips ◽  
Silicon Nitride Films

AbstractLow pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD) and plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) silicon oxide and silicon nitride films were implanted subcutaneously in a rat model to study in vivo behavior of the films. Silicon chips coated with the films of interest were implanted for up to one year, and film thickness was evaluated by spectrophotometry and sectioning. Dissolution rates were estimated to be 0.33 nm/day for LPCVD silicon nitride, 2.0 nm/day for PECVD silicon nitride, and 3.5 nm/day for PECVD silicon oxide. A similar PECVD silicon oxide dissolution rate was observed on a silicon oxide / silicon nitride / silicon oxide stack that was sectioned by focused ion beam etching. These results provide a biostability reference for designing implantable microfabricated devices that feature exposed ceramic films.

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