Title: Engineering the Mechanical Properties of Ultrabarrier Films Grown by Atomic Layer Deposition for the Encapsulation of Printed Electronics

Abstract

Direct deposition of barrier films by atomic layer deposition (ALD) onto printed electronics presents a promising method for packaging devices. Films made by ALD have been shown to possess desired ultrabarrier properties, but face challenges when directly grown onto surfaces with varying composition and topography. Challenges include differing nucleation and growth rates across the surface, stress concentrations from topography and coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) mismatch, elastic mismatch, and particle contamination that may impact the performance of the ALD barrier. In such cases, a polymer smoothing layer may be needed to coat the surface prior to ALD barrier film deposition. We present the impact of architecture on the performance of aluminum oxide (Al2O3)/hafnium oxide (HfO2) ALD nanolaminate barrier films deposited on fluorinated polymer layer using an optical calcium (Ca) test under damp heat. It is found that with increasing polymer thickness, the barrier films with residual tensile stress are prone to cracking resulting in rapid failure of the Ca sensor at 50{degree sign}C/85% RH. Inserting a SiNx layer with residual compressive stress between the polymer and ALD layers is found to prevent cracking over a range of polymer thicknesses with more than 95% of the Ca sensor remaining after 500more » h of testing. These results suggest that controlling mechanical properties and film architecture play an important role in the performance of direct deposited ALD barriers.« less

Authors:

Bulusu, Anuradha ^[1]; Singh, Ankit K. ^[1]; Wang, Cheng-Yin ^[1]; Dindar, Amir ^[1]; Fuentes-Hernandez, Canek ^[1]; Kim, Hyungchul ^[1]; Cullen, David A. ^[2]; Kippelen, Bernard ^[1]; Graham, Samuel ^[3]

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+ Show Author Affiliations

1. Georgia Inst. of Technology, Atlanta, GA (United States)
2. Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
3. Georgia Inst. of Technology, Atlanta, GA (United States); Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

Publication Date:

Fri Aug 28 00:00:00 EDT 2015

Research Org.:

Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences (CNMS)

Sponsoring Org.:

USDOE Office of Science (SC)

OSTI Identifier:

1265679

Alternate Identifier(s):

OSTI ID: 1229650

Grant/Contract Number:  

AC05-00OR22725; EE0004946

Resource Type:

Journal Article: Accepted Manuscript

Journal Name:

Journal of Applied Physics

Additional Journal Information:

Journal Volume: 118; Journal Issue: 8; Journal ID: ISSN 0021-8979

Publisher:

American Institute of Physics (AIP)

Country of Publication:

United States

Language:

English

Subject:

42 ENGINEERING