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Reliability of MEMS Materials: Mechanical Characterization of Thin-Films using the Wafer Scale Bulge Test and Improved Microtensile Techniques

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2011

Joao Gaspar ,
Marek Schmidt ,
Jochen Held  and
Oliver Paul
Joao Gaspar
Affiliation:
gaspar@imtek.de, University of Freiburg, Department of Microsystems Engineering - IMTEK, Microsystems Materials Laboratory, Georges-Koehler-Allee 103, Freiburg, 79110, Germany, +497612037194, +497612037192
Marek Schmidt
Affiliation:
marekschmidt@gmx.de, University of Freiburg, Department of Microsystems Engineering - IMTEK, Microsystems Materials Laboratory, Georges-Koehler-Allee 103, Freiburg, 79110, Germany
Jochen Held
Affiliation:
heldj@imtek.de, University of Freiburg, Department of Microsystems Engineering - IMTEK, Microsystems Materials Laboratory, Georges-Koehler-Allee 103, Freiburg, 79110, Germany
Oliver Paul
Affiliation:
paul@imtek.de, University of Freiburg, Department of Microsystems Engineering - IMTEK, Microsystems Materials Laboratory, Georges-Koehler-Allee 103, Freiburg, 79110, Germany
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Abstract

This paper reports on recent improvements of the bulge and microtensile techniques for the reliable extraction of material parameters such as the Young's modulus E, Poisson's ratio ν, plane strain modulus Eps = E/(1–ν2), prestress σ0, fracture strength μ, Weibull modulus m and strain hardening coefficients n, and on the direct comparison between the two methods. The bulge technique is extended to full wafer measurements enabling throughputs of data with statistical relevance whereas key improvements of a previous fabrication process of microtensile specimens lead now to much higher yields, approaching 100%. Both techniques are applied to an extensive set of materials, brittle and ductile, typically used in MEMS applications. These include thin films of silicon nitride, silicon oxide, polycrystalline silicon and aluminum deposited by techniques such as thermal oxidation, LPCVD, PECVD and PVD.

Keywords

elastic propertiesfracturestrength
Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 1052: Symposium DD – Microelectromechanical Systems–Materials and Devices , 2007 , 1052-DD01-02
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2008

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References

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