Abstract

Kinetics of environmentally assisted subcritical cracking in SiNx barrier films is studied by in situ optical microscopy experiments and quantum chemical molecular orbital theory simulations. The activation volume of 0.83–1.11 cm3/mol and the activation energy of 138 kJ/mol (1.43 eV) are experimentally measured for subcritical crack growth in moist air. The quantum chemical simulations reveal the molecular mechanism of stress corrosion in mechanically strained SiNx under water attack, and the predicted activation energy and activation volume are in good agreement with the experimental results. The combined experimental and modeling studies provide a fundamental understanding of subcritical crack growth in SiNx barrier films for flexible electronic device applications.

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