Abstract
Massive irreversible increases in tensile stress (up to 2 GPa) on thermal cycling are demonstrated for plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposited (PECVD) silicon nitride films. Results give further evidence for the claim that this phenomenon is generic to PECVD films and is attributable to the removal of bonded hydrogen: the magnitude of stress increase is independent of the film stress and can be accounted for with a calculation involving the amount of evolved hydrogen. The massive stress changes cause film fracture in most of the films discussed here, with a large diversity of fracture behavior exhibited. The effects of deposition conditions (temperature, plasma frequency, substrate) on film modulus, hardness and coefficient of thermal expansion, as well as stress and stress hysteresis are also examined.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
