Elasto-plastic characterisation of low-temperature plasma-deposited silicon nitride thin films using nanoindentation

Mariusz Martyniuk; Charles A. Musca; John M. Dell; Robert G. Elliman; Lorenzo Faraone

doi:10.1504/IJSURFSE.2009.024359

Elasto-plastic characterisation of low-temperature plasma-deposited silicon nitride thin films using nanoindentation

Mariusz Martyniuk^*, Charles A. Musca, John M. Dell, Robert G. Elliman, Lorenzo Faraone

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

7 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Nanoindentation has been utilised in order to investigate the mechanical properties of low-temperature (50-300°C) plasma-deposited SiN_x thin films for applications of micro-electro-mechanical systems on temperature sensitive, non-standard substrates. It is found that films deposited at higher temperatures are suitable for these applications, in contrast to films deposited at lower temperatures which tend to have much lower values of Young's modulus and hardness, as well as exhibit significant surface roughness, porosity, and creep. The correlation of SiN_x mechanical properties with deposition temperature is shown to be associated with thin film atomic composition and details of the deposition process.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	3-22
Number of pages	20
Journal	International Journal of Surface Science and Engineering
Volume	3
Issue number	1-2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1504/IJSURFSE.2009.024359
Publication status	Published - 2009

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10.1504/IJSURFSE.2009.024359

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title = "Elasto-plastic characterisation of low-temperature plasma-deposited silicon nitride thin films using nanoindentation",

abstract = "Nanoindentation has been utilised in order to investigate the mechanical properties of low-temperature (50-300°C) plasma-deposited SiNx thin films for applications of micro-electro-mechanical systems on temperature sensitive, non-standard substrates. It is found that films deposited at higher temperatures are suitable for these applications, in contrast to films deposited at lower temperatures which tend to have much lower values of Young's modulus and hardness, as well as exhibit significant surface roughness, porosity, and creep. The correlation of SiNx mechanical properties with deposition temperature is shown to be associated with thin film atomic composition and details of the deposition process.",

keywords = "Elasto-plasticity, Hardness, MEMS, Micro-electro-mechanical systems, Nanoindentation, Silicon nitride, Thin films, Young's modulus",

author = "Mariusz Martyniuk and Musca, {Charles A.} and Dell, {John M.} and Elliman, {Robert G.} and Lorenzo Faraone",

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AU - Martyniuk, Mariusz

AU - Musca, Charles A.

AU - Dell, John M.

AU - Elliman, Robert G.

AU - Faraone, Lorenzo

PY - 2009

Y1 - 2009

N2 - Nanoindentation has been utilised in order to investigate the mechanical properties of low-temperature (50-300°C) plasma-deposited SiNx thin films for applications of micro-electro-mechanical systems on temperature sensitive, non-standard substrates. It is found that films deposited at higher temperatures are suitable for these applications, in contrast to films deposited at lower temperatures which tend to have much lower values of Young's modulus and hardness, as well as exhibit significant surface roughness, porosity, and creep. The correlation of SiNx mechanical properties with deposition temperature is shown to be associated with thin film atomic composition and details of the deposition process.

AB - Nanoindentation has been utilised in order to investigate the mechanical properties of low-temperature (50-300°C) plasma-deposited SiNx thin films for applications of micro-electro-mechanical systems on temperature sensitive, non-standard substrates. It is found that films deposited at higher temperatures are suitable for these applications, in contrast to films deposited at lower temperatures which tend to have much lower values of Young's modulus and hardness, as well as exhibit significant surface roughness, porosity, and creep. The correlation of SiNx mechanical properties with deposition temperature is shown to be associated with thin film atomic composition and details of the deposition process.

KW - Elasto-plasticity

KW - Hardness

KW - MEMS

KW - Micro-electro-mechanical systems

KW - Nanoindentation

KW - Silicon nitride

KW - Thin films

KW - Young's modulus

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DO - 10.1504/IJSURFSE.2009.024359

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SP - 3

EP - 22

JO - International Journal of Surface Science and Engineering

JF - International Journal of Surface Science and Engineering

IS - 1-2

ER -

Elasto-plastic characterisation of low-temperature plasma-deposited silicon nitride thin films using nanoindentation

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