TY - JOUR
T1 - Strengthening ultrathin Si3N4 membranes by compressive surface stress
AU - Shafikov, Airat
AU - Schurink, Bart
AU - van de Kruijs, Robbert W.E.
AU - Benschop, J.P.H.
AU - van den Beld, Wesley
AU - Houweling, Silvester
AU - Bijkerk, F.
N1 - Elsevier deal
PY - 2021/1/1
Y1 - 2021/1/1
N2 - In this work, the effect of compressive surface stress on thin film membrane fracture was studied by bulge test. In order to create membranes with compressive residual stress at the surface, low-pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD) Si3N4 membranes were coated with a 1-8 nm compressive SiNx adlayer or subjected to Ar-ion bombardment. Fracture strength analysis, done using finite element method and Weibull distribution, and microscope inspection of failed membranes showed that the pressure limit of the membranes is determined by the intrinsic fracture mode, caused by high stress induced at the membrane edge near the top surface. By creating compressive residual stress at the membrane surface, the maximum stress induced by the applied pressure was reduced and the fracture strength of the Si3N4 was increased from 17.3 GPa to 18.3 GPa. As a result, membranes with a compressive surface showed a 50% increase in pressure limit, from 5 kPa/nm to 7.5 kPa/nm.
AB - In this work, the effect of compressive surface stress on thin film membrane fracture was studied by bulge test. In order to create membranes with compressive residual stress at the surface, low-pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD) Si3N4 membranes were coated with a 1-8 nm compressive SiNx adlayer or subjected to Ar-ion bombardment. Fracture strength analysis, done using finite element method and Weibull distribution, and microscope inspection of failed membranes showed that the pressure limit of the membranes is determined by the intrinsic fracture mode, caused by high stress induced at the membrane edge near the top surface. By creating compressive residual stress at the membrane surface, the maximum stress induced by the applied pressure was reduced and the fracture strength of the Si3N4 was increased from 17.3 GPa to 18.3 GPa. As a result, membranes with a compressive surface showed a 50% increase in pressure limit, from 5 kPa/nm to 7.5 kPa/nm.
KW - UT-Hybrid-D
KW - Silicon nitride
KW - Membrane
KW - Bulge testing
KW - Fracture strength
KW - Residual stress
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85097167270&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.sna.2020.112456
DO - 10.1016/j.sna.2020.112456
M3 - Article
SN - 0924-4247
VL - 317
JO - Sensors and Actuators A: Physical
JF - Sensors and Actuators A: Physical
M1 - 112456
ER -