Modeling and Experimental Studies of Spalling Process in Silicon Wafers

Abstract

Analyses involving both modeling and experimental measurements for the residual stresses evaluation in Ni thin films on silicon wafers have been studied with focus on determining the optimum condition that leads to spallation. Different thicknesses of stressor thin films (Ni in our case) have been electroplated on Si(100) and Si(111) wafers to predict the critical residual stress in the Ni/Si system that are required for steady-state crack depth. The Ni film thicknesses and the total critical stresses in the Ni films required for steady state spalling processes were specified for different crack depth in Si(100) and Si(111) wafers.