Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Heat transport in thin dielectric films

Journal Article · · Journal of Applied Physics
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.363923· OSTI ID:467223
;  [1]
  1. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, and the Coordinated Science Laboratory, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801 (United States)
Heat transport in 20{endash}300 nm thick dielectric films is characterized in the temperature range of 78{endash}400 K using the 3{omega} method. SiO{sub 2} and SiN{sub x} films are deposited on Si substrates at 300{degree}C using plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD). For films {gt}100 nm thick, the thermal conductivity shows little dependence on film thickness: the thermal conductivity of PECVD SiO{sub 2} films is only {approximately}10{percent} smaller than the conductivity of SiO{sub 2} grown by thermal oxidation. The thermal conductivity of PECVD SiN{sub x} films is approximately a factor of 2 smaller than SiN{sub x} deposited by atmospheric pressure CVD at 900{degree}C. For films {lt}50 nm thick, the apparent thermal conductivity of both SiO{sub 2} and SiN{sub x} films decreases with film thickness. The thickness dependent thermal conductivity is interpreted in terms of a small interface thermal resistance R{sub I}. At room temperature, R{sub I}{approximately}2{times}10{sup {minus}8} Km{sup 2}W{sup {minus}1} and is equivalent to the thermal resistance of a {approximately}20 nm thick layer of SiO{sub 2}. {copyright} {ital 1997 American Institute of Physics.}
Research Organization:
University of Illinois
DOE Contract Number:
FG02-91ER45439
OSTI ID:
467223
Journal Information:
Journal of Applied Physics, Journal Name: Journal of Applied Physics Journal Issue: 6 Vol. 81; ISSN JAPIAU; ISSN 0021-8979
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English