Friction and fracture properties of polysilicon coated with self-assembled monolayers

The increasing use of small micromechanical devices and advanced sensors has led to concern about the failure modes and reliability of these structures. The enormous promise will not materialize without substantial progress in overcoming the stiction, friction and wear associated with such devices and understanding the mechanical behavior of MEMS materials and structures. Self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) are release and anti-stiction coatings for MEMS. In this paper, the anti-stiction properties of octadecyltrichlorosilane (OTS) SAM were calculated. The microtribological properties of OTS SAM were investigated with a ball-on-flat microtribometer. The influence of OTS SAM on the mechanical properties of micromachined polysilicon films for MEMS was investigated with an accurate evaluation using the microtensile test device. It was concluded that the OTS SAM has good anti-stiction properties and low friction coefficients. The hydrophobic property of OTS is the main factor leading to an increase in the average fracture strength of micromachined polysilicon up to 32.46%. Thus, the operational stability and lifetime of MEMS can be raised when coated with self-assembled monolayers.     

Friction mechanisms of Silicon wafer and Silicon wafer coated with diamond-like carbon film and two monolayers

The friction behaviour of Si-wafer, diamond-like carbon (DLC) and two self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) namely dimethyldichlorosilane (DMDC) and diphenyl-dichlorosilane (DPDC) coated on Si-wafer was studied under loading conditions in milli-newton (mN) range. Experiments were performed using a ball-on-flat type reciprocating micro-tribo tester. Glass balls with various radii 0.25 mm, 0.5 mm and 1 mm were used. The applied normal load was in the range of 1.5 mN to 4.8 mN. Results showed that the friction increased with the applied normal load in the case of all the test materials. It was also observed that friction was affected by the ball size. Friction increased with the increase in the ball size in the case of Si-wafer. The SAMs also showed a similar trend, but had lower values of friction than those of Si-wafer. Interestingly, for DLC it was observed that friction decreased with the increase in the ball size. This distinct difference in the behavior of friction in DLC was attributed to the difference in the operating mechanism. It was observed that Si-wafer and DLC exhibited wear, whereas wear was absent in the SAMs. Observations showed that solid-solid adhesion was dominant in Si-wafer, while plowing in DLC. The wear in these two materials significantly influenced their friction. In the case of SAMs their friction behaviour was largely influenced by the nature of their molecular chains.     

Macro- and nanotribological properties of organosilane monolayers prepared by a chemical vapor adsorption method on silicon substrates

Organosilane monolayers are novel ultrathin films used to control the physicochemical properties, such as friction and wear, of solid surfaces. In this study, the authors prepared alkylsilane and fluoroalkylsilane monolayers with a series of chain lengths by a chemical vapor adsorption method. The monolayers tribological properties were investigated by lateral force microscope (LFM) and friction tester. LFM nanoscale measurements of tribological properties showed that alkylsilane monolayer gave lower lateral force than the Si substrate surface. The lateral force decreased as the length of the alkyl chain increased. On the macroscale, friction test revealed that the organosilane monolayers gave lower dynamic friction coefficients than the Si substrate surface in air at room temperature. The longer the alkyl chain, the greater the wear resistance of the organosilane monolayers. Friction experiments using tetradecane as a lubricant showed better tribological properties than were obtained in air. Furthermore, microscopically line-patterned two-component organosilane monolayers were prepared and their macroscopic friction behavior was investigated. Even though the height difference between the two-components was less than 1 nm, friction force anisotropy between the parallel and perpendicular directions against the line pattern was observed.     

Immobilization of proteins on self-assembled monolayers

The immobilization of protein molecules on self-assembled monolayers (SAM) by physical interactions and chemical bonding has been studied using atomic force microscopy (AFM). The proteins used for our investigation are bovine serum albumin (BSA), lysozyme (LYZ), and normal rabbit immunoglobulin G (IgG). The surfaces are methyl-, hydroxyl-, carboxylic acid- and aldehyde-terminated SAMs. We found that BSA and LYZ can be readily immobilized on SAMs at their isoelectric point (IEP). The detailed surface morphology of adsorbed proteins varies with the functionality of the SAMs. The strong hydrophobic interaction at the IEP is attributed to immobilization. If the solution pH is deviated from the IEP, proteins may be attached onto the surface via electrostatic interactions. Covalent binding between the aldehyde-terminated SAM and the H2N-groups in the protein results in immobilization of all three proteins. The individual proteins and their orientations on SAMs are clearly resolved from high-resolution AFM images. The stability and bioactivity of these immobilized proteins are also studied.     

Characterization of mixed self-assembled monolayers for immobilization of streptavidin using chemical force microscopy

Mixed self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) to immobilize streptavidin on a gold surface were investigated by measuring the pull-off force between an AFM tip and a biotin-modified surface using CFM. Biotin-LC-NHS was modified on SAMs prepared from a mixed solution of cystamine and MEOH. Increased pull-off forces between the AFM tip and the surface were observed with an increased cystamine mole fraction in the solution. Streptavidin was immobilized onto biotin-LC-NHS modified mixed SAMs and analyzed by tapping AFM. Also, the formation of mixed SAMs containing MUOH and MBDA was confirmed using CFM. The measured pull-off forces on the only MBDA surface were larger than those on the surface with MUOH. These results can be applied to determine an optimal mixing ratio of MUOH and MBDA SAMs that reduces non-specific streptavidin binding onto a surface.     

Growth and properties analysis of metal-organic chemical vapor deposited MgZnO films on -AlO substrates

Mg_xZn_1-xO (0 < x ? 0.12) thin films with the wurtzite structure have been successfully grown on c-Al₂O₃ substrates by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), photoluminescence (PL) spectrometry, and transmission measurements are performed to study the characteristics of Mg_xZn_1-xO thin films. Results show that with increasing Mg content, the diffraction peak of Mg_xZn_1-xO thin films shifts towards a higher diffraction angle (the biggest shift is 0.22°), and the full width at half maximum (FWHM) of the diffraction peak is broadened. Meanwhile, a blue-shift occurs at the near-band-edge (NBE) emission peak and the largest blue-shift of the band gap of the Mg_xZn_1-xO films is 113 meV with Mg content x = 0.12. Therefore, the energy band gap of the Mg_xZn_1-xO films is determined by Mg content in the thin films and the energy band gap increases with an increase of Mg content.     

Phenomenological model of nanocrystalline silicon film formation by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition

A combined theoretical and experimental analysis of the crystalline phase fraction in nanocrystalline films grown by low-energy plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition is presented. The effect of the key parameters, such as temperature, silane flux, and hydrogen dilution ratio, is analyzed. An atomic-scale Monte Carlo model is developed, where the crystallization probability depends on the local environment of the nanocrystalline film. Good agreement is found between the experiments and theory, despite the use of a single fitting parameter.     

Friction of brushlike self-assembled monomolecular coatings

Friction modes of self-assembled monomolecular coatings (SAM) based on dodecyclophosphoric acid ester and its derivatives on a silicon substrate are investigated. The antifriction properties of the films are shown to be due to their ability to decrease the interfacial energy of friction contact. Models are suggested for friction force computation for single and multiple molecularly smooth contacts. They are based on consideration of the thermodynamic cycle of formation and break-off of the friction junction. On the example of composite coatings having different surface energy, a possible means of regulation of the tribological parameters of the silicon-SAM-silicon system is discussed.     

Machining characteristics on the ultra-precision dicing of silicon wafer

Recently, the slightest damage to a circuit can cause great damage due to the sizes of semiconductor chips becoming smaller. To prevent damage to the circuit, the dicing process for silicon wafer must be controlled. In this study, the relationship between the chipping effect and the force of dicing was analyzed. The rate of chipping decreased with a decrease in the force of dicing. The force of dicing also decreased according to a lower feed rate and higher blade speed. The lower feed rate and the higher blade speed must be controlled to achieve a chip-free process.     

Ultrasonic in-process measurement of silicon wafer thickness

This paper describes an on-line application of ultrasonics to the measurement of the thickness of silicon wafers during lapping. Some fundamental experiments and in-process measurements were made in order to adapt the automatic sizing equipment to a lapping machine. The results obtained compare favourably with other methods     

Thermal decomposition of perfluorodecylsiloxane self-assembled monolayers in air

The thermal decomposition of perfluorodecylsiloxane self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) in air has been studied using atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and contact angle analysis. It is found that the monolayers are stable in air up to about 300 degrees C. Above 350 degrees C the monolayers primarily decompose through CC bond cleavage, with a gradual reduction in chain length.     

Effect of wafer size on material removal rate and its distribution in chemical mechanical polishing of silicon dioxide film

Chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) is a semiconductor fabrication process. In this process, wafer surfaces are smoothed and planarized using a hybrid removal mechanism, which consists of a chemical reaction and mechanical removal. In this study, the effects of wafer size on the material removal rate (MRR) and its uniformity in the CMP process were investigated using experiments and a mathematical model proposed in our previous research; this model was used to understand the MRR and its uniformity with respect to wafer size. Under constant process conditions, the MRR of a silicon dioxide (SiO₂) film increased slightly along with an increase in wafer size. The increase in MRR may be attributed to the acceleration of the chemical reaction due to a rise in process temperature. Based on the results obtained, the k and α values in the mathematical model are useful parameters for understanding the effect of wafer size on the MRR and its distribution under a uniform, relative velocity. These parameters can facilitate the prediction of CMP results and the effective design of a CMP machine.     

Tribological properties of bio-mimetic nano-patterned polymeric surfaces on silicon wafer

Nano-patterns made of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) were fabricated on silicon wafer using a capillarity-directed soft lithographic technique. Patterns with three different aspect ratios were investigated for their adhesion and friction properties at nano-scale and for friction at micro-scale. The patterned samples exhibited superior tribological properties, at both these scales when compared to those of flat PMMA thin films.     

单晶硅片磨削的表面相变

为揭示硅片自旋转磨削加工过程中材料的去除机理,采用显微拉曼光谱仪研究了硅片磨削表面的相变.结果表明:半精磨和精磨硅片表面存在α-Si相、Si-Ⅲ相、Si-Ⅳ相和Si-Ⅻ相,这表明磨削过程中Si-Ⅰ相发生了高压金属相变(Si-Ⅱ相).Si-Ⅱ相容易以塑性方式去除.粗磨硅片表面没有明显的多晶硅,只有少量的非晶硅出现,材料以脆性断裂方式去除.从粗磨到精磨,材料去除方式由脆性断裂去除向塑性去除过渡.粗磨向半精磨过渡时,相变强度越大,材料的塑性去除程度越大;半精磨向精磨过渡时,相变强度越小,材料的塑性去除程度越大.     

Tribological properties of asperity arrays coated with self-assembled monolayers

The effects of a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) coating on the friction and pull-off forces were determined by using two-dimensional asperity arrays on silicon wafers. The arrays were coated with SAM composed of one of five different alkylchlorsilanes. First, two-dimensional asperity arrays were created by using a focussed ion beam (FIB) system to mill patterns on silicon plates. Each silicon plate had different patterns of equally spaced asperities. Each pattern (5 × 5 μm²) had a different radius of curvature of the asperity peaks, ranging from about 200 to 2500 nm. Then, each silicon plate was immersed in a solution of a different alkylchlorsilane in hexane (either hexyltrichlorosilane, octyltrichlorosilane, dodecyltrichlorosilane, tetradecyltrichlorosilane, or octadecyltrichlorosilane), thus coating the asperity arrays with SAM. The friction and pull-off forces on the SAM-coated arrays were measured by using an atomic force microscope (AFM) that had a square flat probe. The pull-off force for SAM-coated silicon was roughly proportional to the radius of curvature of the asperity peaks. The magnitude of the pull-off force corresponded approximately to the capillary force calculated by using the contact angle of water on the surface of SAM. The friction coefficient correlated with the inverse of the alkyl-chain length of the SAM.     

ZnO薄膜非线性光学特性的实验研究

利用金属有机化学气相沉积(MOCVD)技术在蓝宝石衬底上生长一层高质量的ZnO薄膜。为了考察沉积温度对样品的非线性特性的影响,在200~500 ℃生长了一系列ZnO薄膜。用X射线衍射谱(XRD)及扫描电镜(SEM)对样品结构进行了评价。以Nd:YAG激光器输出的1.06 μm的激光为基频光,对ZnO薄膜样品的二阶及三阶非线性光学特性进行了实验研究。实验发现,对于250 ℃沉积温度的样品有较强的非线性效应,实验测得的二阶非线性极化张量 χ ⁽²⁾_ZZZ=9.2 pm/V, 三阶有效非线性系数χ⁽³⁾=5.28×10^－20 m²/V²。     

Simulations on atomic-scale friction between self-assembled monolayers: Phononic energy dissipation

Atomic-scale friction between self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) on Au (1 1 1) has been studied through molecular dynamics simulations, with emphasis on the mechanism of energy dissipation. Results show that the shear stress and chain angle on commensurate SAMs exhibit a clean periodic pattern and atomic stick–slip friction, which manifests a gradual storage and sudden release of energy. Using a simple model of two atoms, analysis shows that the atomic stick–slip originates from the dynamic instability of molecule motion. Energy has been built up during the stick, followed by a sudden separation as the equilibrium becomes unstable, and most energy dissipates at the time of slip. Moreover, the simulations reveal that more energy is stored and released in commensurate sliding, resulting in much higher friction than that in incommensurate cases. The contradictory frictional behavior can be traced to the difference in the number and strength of the Van der Waals bonds, formed in the two types of contacts.     

Two-dimensional ordering of pentafluorobenzenethiol self-assembled monolayers on Au(1 1 1) prepared by ambient-pressure vapor deposition

Formation and surface structures of pentafluorobenzenethiol (PFBT) self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) on Au(1 1 1) prepared by ambient-vapor phase deposition were examined by means of scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) as a function of deposition temperature. PFBT SAMs formed at room temperature have disordered phases with bright aggregated domains, which are very similar to benzenethiol SAMs. As deposition temperature increases to 50 °C, partially ordered domains and large aggregated domains appeared. High-resolution STM clearly revealed that PFBT SAMs formed at 75 °C were composed of long-range, two-dimensional (2D) ordered domains, which can be described as a c(2×√3) structure. The results of this study clearly demonstrate that deposition temperature is a crucial factor for obtaining PFBT SAMs on Au(1 1 1) with a high degree of structural order.     

Growth and properties analysis of metal-organic chemical vapor deposited MgxZn1-xO films on C-Al2O3 substrates

Mg_xZn_1−xO (0 〈 x ⩽ 0.12) thin films with the wurtzite structure have been successfully grown on c-Al₂O₃ substrates by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), photoluminescence (PL) spectrometry, and transmission measurements are performed to study the characteristics of Mg _x Zn_1−x O thin films. Results show that with increasing Mg content, the diffraction peak of Mg _x Zn_1−x O thin films shifts towards a higher diffraction angle (the biggest shift is 0.22°), and the full width at half maximum (FWHM) of the diffraction peak is broadened. Meanwhile, a blue-shift occurs at the near-band-edge (NBE) emission peak and the largest blue-shift of the band gap of the Mg _x Zn_1−x O films is 113 meV with Mg content x50.12. Therefore, the energy band gap of the Mg _x Zn_1−x O films is determined by Mg content in the thin films and the energy band gap increases with an increase of Mg content.     

Tribological properties of self-assembled monolayers on Au,SiOx and Si surfaces

Using interfacial force microscopy (IFM), the tribological properties of self-assembled monolayers (SAM) on Si surfaces produced by a new chemical strategy are investigated and compared to those of “classical” SAM systems, which include alkanethiols on Au and alkylsilanes on SiO_x. The new SAM films are prepared by depositing n-alkyl chains with OH-terminations onto Cl-terminated Si substrates. The chemical nature of the actual lubricating molecules, n-dodecyl, is kept constant in all three thin film systems for direct comparison and similarities and differences in tribological properties are observed. The adhesion strength is virtually identical for all three systems; however, frictional properties differ due to differences in film packing. Differences in the chemical bonds that attach the lubricant molecules to the substrate are also discussed as they influence variations in film wear and durability. It is demonstrated that the new SAM films are capable of controlling the friction and adhesion of Si surfaces equally well as the classical SAMs and are potentially more reproducible and more durable.