Stress reduction in ultra-small thin film Al2O3 diaphragms by atomic layer deposition

Author

Suss, Tim ; Braeuninger-Weimer, P. ; Hierold, C.

Author_Institution

Dept. of Mech. & Process Eng., ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland

fYear

2013

fDate

16-20 June 2013

Firstpage

768

Lastpage

771

Abstract

In this paper we present detailed investigations on the residual stress in ultra-small thin film diaphragms. The influence of various process parameters of atomic-layer-deposition of Al₂O₃ on the stress in suspended structures has been analyzed. For diaphragms fabricated on single-crystal quartz substrates, it was observed that there is a transition from tensile to compressive stress with increasing film deposition temperature. The elastic properties of the diaphragms were characterized by AFM force-deflection measurements and in particular the influence of the residual stress on the force curves was investigated. The results suggest that under optimized process conditions, stress-free diaphragms can be obtained.

Keywords

alumina; atomic force microscopy; atomic layer deposition; elasticity; internal stresses; thin films; AFM force-deflection measurements; Al₂O₃; SiO₂; atomic layer deposition; elastic properties; film deposition temperature; residual stress; single-crystal quartz substrates; stress reduction; stress-free diaphragms; tensile-compressive stress transition; ultrasmall thin film diaphragms; Aluminum oxide; Films; Residual stresses; Silicon; Substrates; Temperature measurement; Diaphragm; atomic layer deposition; thin film stress;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Solid-State Sensors, Actuators and Microsystems (TRANSDUCERS & EUROSENSORS XXVII), 2013 Transducers & Eurosensors XXVII: The 17th International Conference on

Conference_Location

Barcelona

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/Transducers.2013.6626879

Filename

6626879