A new technique for measuring the mechanical properties of thinfilms

Accurate measurement of mechanical properties is very difficult for films that are only a few microns thick. Previously, these properties have been determined by indirect methods such as cantilever beam and diaphragm bulge tests. This paper presents a new technique to measure the Young's modulus of thin films in a direct manner consistent with its definition. Strain is measured by a laser-based technique that enables direct and accurate recording of strain on a thin-film specimen. Load is recorded with a 1-lb load cell, and an air bearing is used to eliminate friction in the loading system. The specimen is phosphorus-doped polysilicon that has a gage cross section of 3.5 μm thick by 600 μm wide. All 29 uniaxial tensile tests show brittle behavior, and the average values of Young's modulus and fracture strength are measured to be 170±6.7 GPa and 1.21±0.16 GPa, respectively. One fatigue test is also reported in this paper     

Mechanical property characterization of LPCVD silicon nitride thin films at cryogenic temperatures

T-shape, LPCVD silicon nitride cantilevers are fabricated to determine Young's modulus and fracture strength of silicon nitride thin films at room and cryogenic temperatures. A helium-cooled measurement setup is developed and installed inside a focused-ion-beam (FIB) system. A lead-zirconate-titanate (PZT) translator powered by a function generator and a dc voltage is utilized as an actuator, and a silicon diode is used as a temperature sensor in this setup. Resonant frequencies of identical cantilevers with different "milling masses" are measured to obtain thickness and Young's modulus of the silicon nitride thin films, while a bending test is performed to obtain fracture strength. From the experiment, the average Young's modulus of low-pressure chemical-vapor deposition (LPCVD) silicon nitride thin films varies from 260.5 GPa at room temperature (298 K) to 266.6 GPa at 30 K, and the average fracture strength ranges from 6.9 GPa at room temperature to 7.9 GPa at 30 K. The measurement setup and technique presented here can be used to characterize the mechanical properties of different MEMS materials at cryogenic temperatures.     

Effect of specimen size on Young's modulus and fracture strength ofpolysilicon

The microstructure of polysilicon specimens of varying size was examined and tensile tests were conducted to determine if the measured modulus and strength depend on the size of the specimen. All specimens were from the same MUMP's 25 run at MCNC, and the thicknesses were 1.5, 2.0, and 3.5 μm. Microstructure was examined in specimens as narrow as 2 μm and ranging up to 20 μm in width. The tensile specimens tested were 6, 20, or 600 μm wide and 250, 1000, or 4000 μm long. Nothing in the transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observations indicates any effect of specimen size on the microstructure; the columnar grains are fine (0.2-0.5 μm) and uniformly distributed. The widths of all specimens were found to differ from the specified mask values, and a more pronounced variation was measured for the smaller specimens. Three different approaches are used to measure Young's modulus, and they all give a value of 158±10 GPa with no evidence of substantial effects of specimen size. However, the strength does increase somewhat as the total surface area of the test section decreases-from 1.21 GPa±0.08 GPa to 1.65±0.28 GPa-reflecting the fact that the larger specimens have more surface flaws. Test techniques and procedures are briefly presented along with detailed analyses of the results     

Characterization of Young's modulus and residual stress gradient of MetalMUMPs electroplated nickel film

Metal multi-user MEMS processes (MetalMUMPs) offered by MEMSCAP provide a 20 μm thick electroplated nickel film suitable for constructing micro RF tunable capacitors, RF inductors, relays, switches, etc. Currently the Young's modulus and the residual stress gradient of the MetalMUMPs nickel film have not been characterized. In this paper the resonance method is used to characterize the Young's modulus of the MetalMUMPs nickel film. The characterization results show that the nickel film has a Young's modulus of 155–164 GPa with an average of 159 GPa. A stress gradient induced free beam mechanism is proposed in this paper to characterize the residual stress gradient in the MetalMUMPs nickel film. Characterization results show that the residual stress in the electroplated nickel film has a gradient across the film thickness of −5.49 MPa/μm to −4.30 MPa/μm with the average of −4.72 MPa/μm. The residual stress change from the bottom surface to the top surface of the nickel film is −97.7 MPa. The Young's modulus and residual stress gradient of the MetalMUMPs nickel film obtained in this paper provide MetalMUMPs users an important reference for designing, optimizing and analyzing suspended nickel structures. The stress gradient induced free beam mechanism proposed in this paper provides a method of characterizing negative residual stress gradient in thin films without using trenches or through-wafer holes.     

Mechanical properties of thin films from the load deflection oflong clamped plates

A plane-strain load-deflection model for long plates clamped to a rigid support is developed. The analytical model describes the nonlinear deflection of plates with compressive or tensile residual stress and finite flexural rigidity under uniform load. It allows for the extraction of the residual stress and plane-strain modulus of single-layered thin films. Properties of compressively and weakly prestressed materials are extracted with an accuracy achieved previously only with tensile samples. Two approximations of the exact model are derived. The first reduces the plates to membranes by neglecting their flexural rigidity. Considerable errors result from this simplification. The second approximation provides an exact expression for the linear plate response. Using the model, mechanical properties were extracted from two plasma-enhanced chemical-vapor deposition (PECVD) silicon nitride films with weakly tensile and compressive prestress, respectively. Measured residual stresses are 1.3±3.8 and -63±12.4 MPa, respectively. Corresponding plane-strain moduli are 134.4±3.9 and 142±2.6 GPa, respectively     

Wafer-level mechanical characterization of silicon nitride MEMS

The mechanical and physical properties of silicon nitride thin films have been characterized, particularly for their application in load-bearing MEMS applications. Both stoichiometric (high-stress) and silicon-rich (low-stress) films deposited by LPCVD have been studied. Young's modulus, E, has been determined using conventional lateral resonators and by bulge testing of membranes, and tensile strength has been determined using a specially designed microtensile specimen. All microdevices have been fabricated using standard micromachining. We have also measured the thermal expansion coefficient of stoichiometric silicon nitride. Our best estimate of E is 325/spl plusmn/30 GPa for stoichiometric and 295/spl plusmn/30 GPa for silicon-rich silicon nitride. The average tensile strength for the stoichiometric material is 6.4/spl plusmn/0.6 GPa, while that for the silicon-rich material is 5.5/spl plusmn/0.8 GPa; the burst strength of membranes of the stoichiometric material is 7.1/spl plusmn/0.2 GPa.     

MEMS中Ni-W合金薄膜力学性能的研究

研究了柠檬酸胺-1-羟基乙烷二膦酸（HEDP）镀液体系中Ni-W的力学性能。通过紫外曝光的光刻、电铸和注塑（UV—LIGA）技术制备出微拉伸试样和单轴微拉伸测试系统进行拉伸试验。结果表明：在Ni-W薄膜试样尺寸为5μm×50μm×100μm条件下,其杨氏模量约为100．4GPa,抗拉强度为1．96GPa,应变约为3．6％。     

Measurements of material properties using differential capacitive strain sensors

This paper describes a laterally deflecting micromachined device that offers high sensitivity and wide dynamic range to electronically monitor the thermal expansion coefficient, tensile and compressive residual strain and Young's modulus of microstructural materials, as well as the temperature dependence of these properties. The device uses sidewall capacitance between interdigitated tines to sense displacement caused by the release of residual stress in a bent-beam suspension. Electrostatic force is used to obtain load-deflection profiles. The suspensions and tines are arranged such that output is a differential readout, immune to common mode parasitic capacitance. Analytical and numerical modeling results are presented and the device concept is verified by three different fabrication approaches using polysilicon and nickel as structural materials. Measured values of residual strain, thermal expansion and Young's modulus are very consistent with measurements taken by other approaches and those reported previously. For example, the residual strain in certain electrodeposited Ni structures was tracked from 68.5 microstrain at 23/spl deg/C to -420 microstrain at 130/spl deg/C, providing an expansion coefficient of 8.2 ppm/K; the best fit Young's modulus provided by the device was 115 GPa.     

高g_n值MEMS加速度传感器封装的研究

对一种新型双悬臂梁高gn 值MEMS加速度传感器进行有限元模拟。采用双悬臂梁传感芯片的一种实际封装结构 ,进行频域分析和时域分析 ,讨论封合传感器芯片和封装基体的封合材料对其输出信号的影响。频域分析表明 ,封合材料的杨氏模量对封装后加速度传感器整体的振动模态有一定影响 ,封合胶的杨氏模量很小时 ,会致使加速度传感器的信号失真 ,模拟表明可选用杨氏模量足够高的环氧树脂类作高gn 值传感器的封合材料。时域分析静态模拟表明 ,封合材料的杨氏模量 ,对最大等效应力和沿加载垂直方向的正应力最大最小值基本无影响。时域分析动态模拟表明 ,随着封合材料杨氏模量的提高 ,动态模拟输出的悬臂梁末端节点位移的波形和其经数字滤波后输出的信号变好 ,封合材料的杨氏模量不影响输出信号的频率和均值 ,在加速度脉冲幅值输入信号变化时 ,悬臂梁末端位移平均值输出信号与输入有良好的线性关系。     

Microbridge testing on symmetrical trilayer films

In this paper, we extended the microbridge testing method to characterize the mechanical properties of symmetrical trilayer thin films. Theoretically, we analyzed the deformation of a trilayer microbridge sample with a deformable boundary condition and derived load-deflection formulas in closed-form. The slope of a load-deflection curve under small deformation gives the relationship between the bending stiffness and the residual force of a trilayer microbridge. Taking this relationship, we were able to assess simultaneously the Young's modulus of two kinds of materials composing the symmetrical trilayer film and the thickness-averaged residual stress of the film. Experimentally, we fabricated symmetrical trilayer microbridge samples of SiO/sub 2//Si/sub 3/N/sub 4//SiO/sub 2/ on 4-inch p-type (100) silicon wafers and conducted the microbridge tests with a load and displacement sensing nanoindenter system equipped with a microwedge indenter. The experimental results verified the proposed microbridge testing method. The thickness-averaged residual stress of the 1.1-/spl mu/m trilayer thin films was determined to be 8.8 MPa, while the Young's modulus of the 0.3-/spl mu/m silicon oxide layers and the Young's modulus of the 0.5-/spl mu/m silicon nitride layer were evaluated to be 31 GPa and 294 GPa, respectively.     

High-cycle fatigue of single-crystal silicon thin films

When subjected to alternating stresses, most materials degrade, e.g., suffer premature failure, due to a phenomenon known as fatigue. It is generally accepted that in brittle materials, such as ceramics, fatigue can only take place in toughened solids, i.e., premature fatigue failure would not be expected in materials such as single crystal silicon. The results of this study, however, appear to be at odds with the current understanding of brittle material fatigue. Twelve thin-film (~20 μm thick) single crystal silicon specimens were tested to failure in a controlled air environment (30±0.1°C, 50±2% relative humidity). Damage accumulation and failure of the notched cantilever beams were monitored electrically during the "fatigue life" test. Specimen lives ranged from about 10 s to 48 days, or 1×106 to 1×1011 cycles before failure over stress amplitudes ranging from approximately 4 to 10 GPa. A variety of mechanisms are discussed in light of the fatigue life data and fracture surface evaluation     

M-TEST: A test chip for MEMS material property measurement usingelectrostatically actuated test structures

A set of electrostatically actuated microelectromechanical test structures is presented that meets the emerging need for microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) process monitoring and material property measurement at the wafer level during both process development and manufacturing. When implemented as a test chip or drop-in pattern for MEMS processes, M-Test becomes analogous to the electrical MOSFET test structures (often called E-Test) used for extraction of MOS device parameters. The principle of M-Test is the electrostatic pull-in of three sets of test structures [cantilever beams (CB's), fixed-fixed beams (FB's), and clamped circular diaphragms (CD's)] followed by the extraction of two intermediate quantities (the S and B parameters) that depend on the product of material properties and test structure geometry. The S and B parameters give a direct measure of the process uniformity across an individual wafer and process repeatability between wafers and lots. The extraction of material properties (e.g., Young's modulus, plate modulus, and residual stress) from these S and B parameters is then accomplished using geometric metrology data. Experimental demonstration of M-Test is presented using results from MIT's dielectrically isolated wafer-bonded silicon process. This yielded silicon plate modulus results which agreed with literature values to within ±4%. Guidelines for adapting the method to other MEMS process technologies are presented     

MEMS器件贴片工艺研究

贴片工艺是MEMS封装中的关键工艺。根据残余应力理论,应用有限元方法和试验技术研究了贴片胶杨氏模量和热膨胀系数对贴片应力和芯片翘曲的影响。结果表明:杨氏模量和热膨胀系数是影响贴片应力和芯片翘曲的重要因数。杨氏模量越大,贴片后产生的应力越大,引起芯片的翘曲越大,但杨氏模量大到一定数值后,应力不会再增大,反而对应力具有一定的隔离作用;热膨胀系数越大,贴片后产生的应力越小,引起芯片的翘曲越小,反之,引起芯片的翘曲越大。在满足粘接强度和工艺条件下,选用软胶有利于减小应力和芯片翘曲。     

A MEMS-Based Evaluation of the Mechanical Properties of Metallic Thin Films

Characterizing the mechanical properties of metal thin films is critical for the design and fabrication of metal microelectromechanical systems and integrated circuit devices. This paper focuses on wafer-level determination of the mechanical behavior of sputtered aluminum and nickel thin films, using a variety of measurement techniques. Elastic moduli have been determined in devices fabricated with standard micromachining techniques using bulge testing of square diaphragms and lateral resonator structures. We find a Young's modulus of ~70 GPa for Al and ~200 GPa for Ni, in agreement with data for the bulk metals. Using pressurize/depressurize cycles, the load-deflection curves of the membranes have also been determined, and in conjunction with finite element simulations, were used to determine the yield strength and fracture strength of these films. Residual stresses in the films have also been investigated using wafer curvature, bulge testing, and X-ray diffraction. The merits of each measurement technique are discussed.     

Toward a general-purpose analog VLSI neural network with on-chiplearning

This paper describes elements necessary for a general-purpose low-cost very large scale integration (VLSI) neural network. By choosing a learning algorithm that is tolerant of analog nonidealities, the promise of high-density analog VLSI is realized. A 64-synapse, 8-neuron proof-of-concept chip is described. The synapse, which occupies only 4900 mum(2) in a 2-mum technology, includes a hybrid of nonvolatile and dynamic weight storage that provides fast and accurate learning as well as reliable long-term storage with no refreshing. The architecture is user-configurable in any one-hidden-layer topology. The user-interface is fully microprocessor compatible. Learning is accomplished with minimal external support; the user need only present inputs, targets, and a clock. Learning is fast and reliable. The chip solves four-bit parity in an average of 680 ms and is successful in about 96% of the trials.     

Development of AFM tensile test technique for evaluating mechanical properties of sub-micron thick DLC films

This paper describes mechanical properties of submicron thick diamond-like carbon (DLC) films used for surface modification in MEMS devices. A new compact tensile tester operating under an atomic force microscope (AFM) is developed to measure Young's modulus, Poisson's ratio and fracture strength of single crystal silicon (SCS) and DLC coated SCS (DLC/SCS) specimens. DLC films with a thickness ranging from 0.11 /spl mu/m to 0.58 /spl mu/m are deposited on 19-/spl mu/m-thick SCS substrate by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition using a hot cathode penning ionization gauge discharge. Young's moduli of the DLC films deposited at bias voltages of -100 V and -300 V are found to be constant at 102 GPa and 121 GPa, respectively, regardless of film thickness. Poisson's ratio of DLC film is also independent of film thickness, whereas fracture strength of DLC/SCS specimens is inversely proportional to thickness. Raman spectroscopy analyses are performed to examine the effect of hydrogen content in DLC films on elastic properties. Raman spectra reveal that a reduction in hydrogen content in the films leads to better elastic properties. Finally, the proposed evaluation techniques are shown to be applicable to sub-micron thick DLC films by finite element analyses.     

扫频法测量混凝土动弹特性

扫频法的最大特点是不仅能够读取李萨如的数据,还能根据扫频的极值判断试件的峰值频率、动弹特性数据,同时根据频率峰值的数量和幅度分析试件可能存在裂缝等的缺欠.扫频法是当前测量混凝土、金属、炭素等物体的新方法.     

Fracture Properties of Silicon Carbide Thin Films by Bulge Test of Long Rectangular Membrane

This paper reports the mechanical properties and fracture behavior of silicon carbide (3C-SiC) thin films grown on silicon substrates. Using bulge testing combined with a refined load-deflection model of long rectangular membranes, which takes into account the bending stiffness and prestress of the membrane material, the Young's modulus, prestress, and fracture strength for the 3C-SiC thin films with thicknesses of 0.40 and 1.42 mum were extracted. The stress distribution in the membranes under a load was calculated analytically. The prestresses for the two films were 322 plusmn 47 and 201 plusmn 34 MPa, respectively. The thinner 3C-SiC film with a strong (111) orientation has a plane-gstrain moduli of 415 plusmn 61 GPa, whereas the thicker film with a mixture of both (111) and (110) orientations exhibited a plane-strain moduli of 329 plusmn 49 GPa. The corresponding fracture strengths for the two kinds of SiC films were 6.49 plusmn 0.88 and 3.16 plusmn 0.38 GPa, respectively. The reference stresses were computed by integrating the local stress of the membrane at the fracture over edge, surface, and volume of the specimens and were fitted with Weibull distribution function. For the 0.40-mum-thick membranes, the surface integration has a better agreement between the data and the model, implying that the surface flaws are the dominant fracture origin. For the 1.42-mum-thick membranes, the surface integration presented only a slightly better fitting quality than the other two, and therefore, it is difficult to rule out unambiguously the effects of the volume and edge flaws. [2007-0191].     

Measurement of Young’s modulus and residual stress of thin SiC layers for MEMS high temperature applications

Silicon carbide (SiC) is a promising material for applications in harsh environments. Standard silicon (Si) microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) are limited in operating temperature to temperatures below 130°C for electronic devices and below 600°C for mechanical devices. Due to its large bandgap SiC enables MEMS with significantly higher operating temperatures. Furthermore, SiC exhibits high chemical stability and thermal conductivity. Young’s modulus and residual stress are important mechanical properties for the design of sophisticated SiC-based MEMS devices. In particular, residual stresses are strongly dependent on the deposition conditions. Literature values for Young’s modulus range from 100 to?400?GPa, and residual stresses range from 98 to?486?MPa. In this paper we present our work on investigating Young’s modulus and residual stress of SiC films deposited on single crystal bulk silicon using bulge testing. This method is based on measurement of pressure-dependent membrane deflection. Polycrystalline as well as single crystal cubic silicon carbide samples are studied. For the samples tested, average Young’s modulus and residual stress measured are 417?GPa and 89?MPa for polycrystalline samples. For single crystal samples, the according values are 388?GPa and 217?MPa. These results compare well with literature values.