TY - JOUR
T1 - The effect of silicon nitride stoichiometry on charging mechanisms in RF-MEMS capacitive switches
AU - Tavassolian, Negar
AU - Koutsoureli, M.
AU - Papandreou, E.
AU - Papaioannou, Giorgos
AU - Lacroix, Benjamin
AU - Liu, Z.
AU - Papapolymerou, John
PY - 2009/12
Y1 - 2009/12
N2 - This paper discusses the mechanisms responsible for charging of plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) silicon nitride films used in the fabrication of RF microelectromechanical (MEMS) switches. Nitride films deposited at different temperatures are characterized in order to better understand the effect of deposition conditions on material stoichiometry and stress. Both RF MEMS switches and metal-semiconductor-metal capacitors with PECVD silicon nitride as the dielectric layer were fabricated and their charging mechanisms were examined. Measurements indicate that charging arises from the formation of a defect band where charge transport occurs through a Poole-Frenkel-like effect. The calculated activation energy exhibits direct relation to material stoichiometry, and therefore to the nitride bandgap. Finally, it is viewed that lower temperature nitride is less prone to dielectric charging.
AB - This paper discusses the mechanisms responsible for charging of plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) silicon nitride films used in the fabrication of RF microelectromechanical (MEMS) switches. Nitride films deposited at different temperatures are characterized in order to better understand the effect of deposition conditions on material stoichiometry and stress. Both RF MEMS switches and metal-semiconductor-metal capacitors with PECVD silicon nitride as the dielectric layer were fabricated and their charging mechanisms were examined. Measurements indicate that charging arises from the formation of a defect band where charge transport occurs through a Poole-Frenkel-like effect. The calculated activation energy exhibits direct relation to material stoichiometry, and therefore to the nitride bandgap. Finally, it is viewed that lower temperature nitride is less prone to dielectric charging.
KW - Dielectric materials
KW - Metal-semiconductor-metal (MIM) capacitors
KW - Reliability RF microelectromechanical (MEMS) switches
KW - Stoichiometry
KW - Stress
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U2 - 10.1109/TMTT.2009.2033865
DO - 10.1109/TMTT.2009.2033865
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:73149125343
SN - 0018-9480
VL - 57
SP - 3518
EP - 3524
JO - IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques
JF - IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques
IS - 12
M1 - 5332264
ER -