Use of silicon oxynitride as a sacrificial material for microelectromechanical devices
- Corrales, NM
- Edgewood, NM
The use of silicon oxynitride (SiO.sub.x N.sub.y) as a sacrificial material for forming a microelectromechanical (MEM) device is disclosed. Whereas conventional sacrificial materials such as silicon dioxide and silicate glasses are compressively strained, the composition of silicon oxynitride can be selected to be either tensile-strained or substantially-stress-free. Thus, silicon oxynitride can be used in combination with conventional sacrificial materials to limit an accumulation of compressive stress in a MEM device; or alternately the MEM device can be formed entirely with silicon oxynitride. Advantages to be gained from the use of silicon oxynitride as a sacrificial material for a MEM device include the formation of polysilicon members that are substantially free from residual stress, thereby improving the reliability of the MEM device; an ability to form the MEM device with a higher degree of complexity and more layers of structural polysilicon than would be possible using conventional compressively-strained sacrificial materials; and improved manufacturability resulting from the elimination of wafer distortion that can arise from an excess of accumulated stress in conventional sacrificial materials. The present invention is useful for forming many different types of MEM devices including accelerometers, sensors, motors, switches, coded locks, and flow-control devices, with or without integrated electronic circuitry.
- Research Organization:
- Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), Albuquerque, NM, and Livermore, CA (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-94AL85000
- Assignee:
- Sandia Corporation (Albuquerque, NM)
- Patent Number(s):
- US 6174820
- OSTI ID:
- 873497
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Low-Temperature Deposition of Hydrogen-Free Silicon Oxynitride without Stress by the Remote Plasma Technique
|
journal | October 1990 |
X-Ray Mask Technology
|
conference | June 1985 |
Silicon Oxynitride Films from the NO-NH[sub 3]-SiH[sub 4] Reaction
|
journal | January 1973 |
Physicochemical Properties of Chemical Vapor‐Deposited Silicon Oxynitride from a SiH4 ‐ CO 2 ‐ NH 3 ‐ H 2 System
|
journal | January 1978 |
Fabrication of low-stress dielectric thin-film for microsensor applications
|
journal | December 1997 |
Similar Records
Method for integrating microelectromechanical devices with electronic circuitry
Process for fabricating a microelectromechanical structure
Related Subjects
oxynitride
sacrificial
material
microelectromechanical
devices
sio
forming
device
disclosed
conventional
materials
dioxide
silicate
glasses
compressively
strained
composition
selected
tensile-strained
substantially-stress-free
combination
limit
accumulation
compressive
stress
alternately
formed
entirely
advantages
gained
formation
polysilicon
substantially
free
residual
improving
reliability
ability
form
degree
complexity
layers
structural
compressively-strained
improved
manufacturability
resulting
elimination
wafer
distortion
arise
excess
accumulated
useful
types
including
accelerometers
sensors
motors
switches
coded
locks
flow-control
integrated
electronic
circuitry
sacrificial material
microelectromechanical devices
electronic circuit
substantially free
control device
electronic circuitry
silicon dioxide
silicate glass
residual stress
devices including
compressive stress
silicon oxynitride
mechanical device
electromechanical devices
mechanical devices
microelectromechanical device
coded lock
/438/216/257/