Density measurement of thin-films for micro-electromechanical systems using micro-cantilever structures

• Published in: Thin solid films Vol. 519; no. 22; pp. 7932 - 7935
• Main Authors: Boyd, E.J., Nock, V., Li, X., Uttamchandani, D.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01-09-2011; Elsevier
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Clamping; Density; Density measurement; Electronics; Exact sciences and technology; General equipment and techniques; Instruments, apparatus, components and techniques common to several branches of physics and astronomy; Micro- and nanoelectromechanical devices (mems/nems); Micro-cantilevers; Micro-electromechanical systems; Physics; Resonant frequencies; Semiconductor electronics. Microelectronics. Optoelectronics. Solid state devices; Sensors (chemical, optical, electrical, movement, gas, etc.); remote sensing; Silicon; Silicon carbide; Silicon nitride; Silicon-on-insulator; Thin films; Micro-electromechanical systems; Silicon carbide; Density; Micro-cantilevers; Silicon-on-insulator; Silicon nitride; Density measurement; Measurement sensor; Thin film; Silicon on insulator technology; Carbides nitrides; Resonance frequency; Microelectromechanical device
• ISSN: 0040-6090; 1879-2731
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tsf.2011.07.017

The use of micro-cantilever test structures for determining the density of thin film materials is reported. A range of micro-cantilever test structures has been fabricated using silicon, silicon nitride and silicon carbide which are materials that are commonly used in the fabrication of micro-electromechanical systems. The density of each material was determined by combining load–deflection and resonant frequency measurements, and using the Euler–Bernoulli equation for single clamped beams. The density values obtained were 2.35, 3.16 and 3.18
g/cm
3 for silicon, silicon carbide and silicon nitride respectively. These values of density for these thin films agree very well with the values quoted in the literature.