Effect of deposition conditions on thermo-mechanical properties of free standing silicon-rich silicon nitride thin film

Using resonance and bulge techniques, the mechanical properties of free standing Si-rich SiN"x membranes were precisely measured to evaluate the effect of deposition conditions on them over a narrow range of particular technological interest. Values of the elastic modulus, the residual stress and the thermal expansion coefficient were obtained. It was found that even small differences in gas composition in low pressure CVD deposition make substantial changes in residual stress and significant but much smaller changes in the elastic modulus.