Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-xtgtn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-23T23:04:57.625Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Thickness-dependent Structural Relaxation of Plasma-Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposited Silicon Oxide Films during Thermal Processing

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2011

Zhiqiang Cao  and
Xin Zhang
Zhiqiang Cao
Affiliation:
Department of Manufacturing Engineering, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA
Xin Zhang
Affiliation:
Department of Manufacturing Engineering, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA
Get access

Abstract

This paper presents a microstructure-based mechanism which elucidates seams as a source of density change and voids as a source of plastic deformation, accompanied by a viscous flow. This theory was then applied to explain a series of experimental results that are related to thermal cycling of amorphous dielectric films, such as plasma-enhanced physical vapor deposited (PECVD) silicon oxide (SiOx) films, including stress hysteresis generation and reduction and coefficient of thermal-expansion changes. In particular, the thickness effect was examined; PECVD SiOx films with a thickness varying from 1 to 40 m were studied, as certain demanding applications in Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) require such thick films serving as heat/electrical insulation layers.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 854: Symposium U – Stability of Thin Films and Nanostructures , 2004 , U8.1
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2005

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

1. Madou, M., Fundamentals of Microfabrication: The Science of Miniaturization, 2nd ed. (CRC Press, 2002).Google Scholar
2. Epstein, A. H., and Senturia, S. D., Science 276, 1211 (1997).Google Scholar
3. Volkert, C. A., J. Appl. Phys. 74, 7107 (1993).Google Scholar
4. Thurn, J. and Cook, R.F., J. Appl. Phys. 91, 1988 (2002).Google Scholar
5. Thurn, J. and Cook, R.F., J. Appl. Phys. 95, 967 (2004).Google Scholar
6. Chen, K.-S., Zhang, X., and Lin, S.-Y., Thin Solid Films, 434, 190 (2003).Google Scholar
7. Chen, K.-S. and Ou, K.-S., J. Micromech. Microeng, 12, 917 (2002).Google Scholar
8. Cao, Z. and Zhang, X., J. Appl. Phys., 96, 4273 (2004), and the references therein.Google Scholar