Stress Control of Si-based PECVD Dielectrics

Mackenzie, Kenneth D.; Johnson, David C.; DeVre, Michael; Westerman, Russell J.; Reelfs, B. H.

doi:10.1149/ma2005-01/9/406

Cited by 20 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 3 publications

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“…Note that the conventional notation of tensile stress as positive and compressive stress as negative is used. Based on previous studies, it is known that SiN x thin films deposited with high RF power, low pressure, and high SiH 4 feed ratios exhibit more compressive residual stress, which is in agreement with our results. , …”

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 93%

“…Based on previous studies, it is known that SiN x thin films deposited with high RF power, low pressure, and high SiH 4 feed ratios exhibit more compressive residual stress, which is in agreement with our results. 25,26 Three conditions were adopted to deposit the SiN x thin films of different residual stresses: condition T with tensile residual stress, N with neutral residual stress, and C with compressive residual stress.…”

Section: Effects Of Pecvd Conditions For Residual Stress Control On M...mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Intrinsic Mechanical Properties of Free-Standing SiN_x Thin Films Depending on PECVD Conditions for Controlling Residual Stress

Soo

Yang

et al. 2022

ACS Appl. Electron. Mater.

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Silicon nitride (SiN x ) thin films are crucial in electronic devices and are used as gate dielectrics and diffusion barriers for thin-film transistors (TFTs). Plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) has been used for the deposition of SiN x thin films because it allows the tuning of the properties of SiN x thin films by changing the deposition conditions depending on their usage. However, the intrinsic mechanical properties of SiN x thin films depending on the PECVD conditions have rarely been studied because of extreme brittleness and inherent residual stress of SiN x thin films. In this study, the intrinsic mechanical properties of PECVD SiN x thin films are measured from free-standing tensile tests. For the test, 130−150 nm-thick SiN x thin films are prepared using three types of PECVD conditions to induce tensile (T-SiN x ), neutral (N-SiN x ), and compressive (C-SiN x ) residual stress. Compared with the T-SiN x thin films (77 GPa, 0.10%, and 83 MPa, respectively), the C-SiN x thin films shows an approximately 45% increase in Young's modulus (112 GPa), a twofold enhancement of the elongation (0.21%), and a threefold improvement in the fracture strength (226 MPa). The improved intrinsic mechanical properties of C-SiN x thin films compared with those of the T-SiN x and N-SiN x thin films are attributed to increased film density (2.42−2.64 g/cm 3 ) and reduced dangling H of the N−H bonding, which are induced by their deposition conditions of higher RF power, lower chamber pressure, and lower NH 3 feed ratios. We anticipate that the mechanism of changing the mechanical properties can be extended to fabricate mechanically robust SiN x thin films as dielectric layers for flexible devices.

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Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 93%

Section: Effects Of Pecvd Conditions For Residual Stress Control On M...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Intrinsic Mechanical Properties of Free-Standing SiN_x Thin Films Depending on PECVD Conditions for Controlling Residual Stress

Soo

Yang

et al. 2022

ACS Appl. Electron. Mater.

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“…Tarraf et al [10] and van de Ven et al [11] used low and high RF frequency mix, which alternatively applied low and high frequency, consequently compensating the tensile stress from high frequency (HF) by compressive stress from low frequency (LF) to produce low stress silicon nitride. Mackenzie et al [12] adjusted the stress of SiN x through the addition of He to the standard gas mixture of SiH 4 , NH 3 and N 2 . By changing the ratio of N 2 and He, they achieved the stress from 300 MPa tensile through zero to about −300 MPa, compressive.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Low stress PECVD—SiN_xlayers at high deposition rates using high power and high frequency for MEMS applications

Iliescu

Tay

Wei

2006

J. Micromech. Microeng.

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The paper reports a new fabrication method for low stress SiNx layers at high deposition rates in a PECVD reactor using high power and high frequency (13.56 MHz) and their MEMS applications. By increasing the deposition power at 600 W in high frequency mode, a decrease of the tensile residual stress to values between 0 and 20 MPa was noticed. Meanwhile, the high power, which promotes a high dissociation of gases, generates a high deposition rate (in the range 250 to 350 nm min−1). In addition, the paper presents the influence of other important parameters that affect the residual stress and deposition rate such as pressure and SiH4, NH3 and N2 flow rates. SiNx layers fabricated at high power in high frequency mode were successfully used in two classical MEMS applications: fabrication of the masking layer for anisotropic wet etching in KOH solution and fabrication of a low stress cantilever.

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“…However, achieving zero stress often leads to a compromise in performance. [16][17][18] Many efforts have been dedicated to reducing the stress of ALD thin films. For example, an organic thin film was introduced as a stress-buffering layer, [23][24][25][26] because such films have a low modulus.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Atomic-scale stress modulation of nanolaminate for micro-LED encapsulation

Wen,

Hu,

Yuan

et al. 2024

Nanoscale

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Stress Control of Si-based PECVD Dielectrics

Abstract: not Available.

Cited by 20 publications

References 3 publications

Intrinsic Mechanical Properties of Free-Standing SiN_x Thin Films Depending on PECVD Conditions for Controlling Residual Stress

Intrinsic Mechanical Properties of Free-Standing SiN_x Thin Films Depending on PECVD Conditions for Controlling Residual Stress

Low stress PECVD—SiN_xlayers at high deposition rates using high power and high frequency for MEMS applications

Atomic-scale stress modulation of nanolaminate for micro-LED encapsulation

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Stress Control of Si-based PECVD Dielectrics

Abstract: not Available.

Cited by 20 publications

References 3 publications

Intrinsic Mechanical Properties of Free-Standing SiNx Thin Films Depending on PECVD Conditions for Controlling Residual Stress

Intrinsic Mechanical Properties of Free-Standing SiNx Thin Films Depending on PECVD Conditions for Controlling Residual Stress

Low stress PECVD—SiNxlayers at high deposition rates using high power and high frequency for MEMS applications

Atomic-scale stress modulation of nanolaminate for micro-LED encapsulation

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Product

Resources

About

Intrinsic Mechanical Properties of Free-Standing SiN_x Thin Films Depending on PECVD Conditions for Controlling Residual Stress

Intrinsic Mechanical Properties of Free-Standing SiN_x Thin Films Depending on PECVD Conditions for Controlling Residual Stress

Low stress PECVD—SiN_xlayers at high deposition rates using high power and high frequency for MEMS applications