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Detection of Residual Stress in Silicon Carbide MEMS by μ-Raman Spectroscopy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2011

John C. Zingarelli ,
Michael A. Marciniak  and
Jason R. Foley
John C. Zingarelli
Affiliation:
Department of Engineering Physics, Air Force Institute of Technology Wright-Patterson AFB OH 45433-7765
Michael A. Marciniak
Affiliation:
Department of Engineering Physics, Air Force Institute of Technology Wright-Patterson AFB OH 45433-7765
Jason R. Foley
Affiliation:
Munitions Directorate, Air Force Research Laboratory Eglin AFB FL 32542-5430
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Abstract

Micro-Raman (μ-Raman) spectroscopy is used to measure residual stress in single-crystal, 6H-silicon carbide (SiC) used in micro-electro-mechanical-systems (MEMS) devices. These structures are bulk micro-machined by back etching a 250-μm-thick, single-crystal 6HSiC wafer (p-type, 7 Ω-cm, 3.5° off-axis) to form a 50-μm thick diaphragm. A Wheatstone bridge, patterned of piezoresistive elements, is formed across the membrane from a 5-μm, 6HSiC (n-type, doped 3.8 × 1018 cm-3) epilayer; the output of the bridge is proportional to the flexure of the MEMS diaphragm. For these samples, the μ-Raman spectroscopy is performed using a Renishaw InVia Raman spectrometer with an argon-ion excitation source (λ = 514.5 nm, hν = 2.41 eV) with an approximate 1-μm2 spot size through the 50X objective. By employing an incorporated piezoelectric stage with submicron positioning capabilities along with the Raman spectral acquisition, spatial scans are performed to reveal areas in the MEMS structures that contain residual stress. Shifts in the transverse optical (TO) Stokes peaks of up to 2 cm-1 along the edge of the diaphragm and through the piezoresistors indicate significant material strain induced by the MEMS fabrication process.

The phonon deformation potential is measured to quantify the material stress as a function of the shift in the Raman peak position. The line center of the TO Stokes peak is shifted by applying a uniform stress to the sample and monitoring the applied stress using a strain gauge, while the μ-Raman spectrum is being measured. A spectral analysis code tracks the shift of the Raman peak position with respect to the line center of the Rayleigh peak to account for any thermal drift of the spectrometer during the time of the area scan.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 872: Symposium J – Micro- and Nanosystems—Materials and Devices , 2005 , J3.4
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2005

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