Title :
Fabrication of low-stress dielectric thin-film for microsensor applications
Author :
Chou, Bruce C S ; Shie, Jin-Shown ; Chen, Chung-Nan
Author_Institution :
Inst. of Electro-Opt. Eng., Nat. Chiao Tung Univ., Hsinchu, Taiwan
Abstract :
A method of fabricating low-stress dielectric thin film as the supporting material of micromachined devices is reported. The film is processed by post thermal oxidation of silicon-rich nitride (SN) deposited on a silicon substrate by LPCVD. Due to the compensation on the nitride by its top oxide, an ultra-low residual stress less than 10 MPa can be obtained with a proper oxidation scheme. Characteristics of the oxidized nitride were analyzed by Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) and ellipsometry. Large floating membranes of 4/spl times/4 cm/sup 2/ and 400-nm thick can be made by this method with TMAH etching.
Keywords :
Auger effect; CVD coatings; dielectric thin films; ellipsometry; etching; internal stresses; membranes; microsensors; oxidation; silicon compounds; 400 nm; Auger electron spectroscopy; LPCVD; Si; Si substrate; SiO/sub x/N/sub y/; SiON-Si; TMAH etching; compensation; ellipsometry; large floating membranes; low-stress dielectric thin-film; micromachined devices; microsensor application; oxidized nitride; post thermal oxidation; silicon-rich nitride; supporting material; ultra-low residual stress; Dielectric materials; Dielectric substrates; Dielectric thin films; Fabrication; Microsensors; Oxidation; Residual stresses; Semiconductor films; Silicon; Tin;
Journal_Title :
Electron Device Letters, IEEE
