A study of residual stress distribution through the thickness of p + silicon films [thermal oxidation effects]

The effect of thermal oxidation on the residual stress distribution throughout the thickness of heavily-boron-doped (p⁺ ) silicon films is studied. The deflection of p⁺ silicon cantilever beams due to residual stress variation throughout the film thickness is studied for as-diffused and thermally oxidized films. Cantilevers of as-diffused p⁺ silicon films display a positive curvature (or a negative bending moment), signified by bending up of the beams. Thermal oxidation of the films prior to cantilever fabrication by anisotropic etching modifies the residual stresses in the p⁺ film, specially in the near-surface region (i.e. the top 0.3 to 0.5 μm for the oxidation times used here), and can result in beams with a negative curvature even when the oxide is removed from the p⁺ silicon cantilever surface subsequent to cantilever fabrication