Papers by Author: Mehran Mehregany

Abstract: We report two improvements of our all-silicon carbide (SiC) micromachined capacitive diaphragm-based pressure sensors: Ti/TaSi2/Pt contact metallization to enhance temperature cycling durability and a 0.5 μm-thin sensing gap to further improve sensor sensitivity. Three sensors with 0.5 μm and 1.5 μm sensing gaps were packaged individually in high temperature ceramic packages and characterized to designed (static) pressures of 2.1 MPa (300 psi), 3.4 MPa (500psi) and 6.9 MPa (1000 psi) up to 550°C. For the 3.4 MPa range sensor (0.5 μm gap, 70 μm diaphragm radius), a sensitivity of 0.06 fF/Pa and a nonlinearity of 2.0% was obtained at 550°C in contact mode operation. In comparison, the 2.1 MPa range sensor (1.5 μm gap, 95 μm diaphragm radius) demonstrated a sensitivity of 0.07 fF/Pa and a nonlinearity of 4.6% at 550°C in contact mode operation. The 6.9 MPa range sensor (1.5 μm gap, 70 μm diaphragm radius) demonstrated a sensitivity of 0.03 fF/Pa and a nonlinearity of 4.0% at 500°C, also in contact mode.

Abstract: This paper details the characterization of polycrystalline SiC (poly-SiC) thin films deposited by low pressure chemical vapor deposition. Films were deposited on both Si and SiO2- coated Si substrates using dichlorosilane (SiH2Cl2) and acetylene (C2H2) as precursor gases. Low residual tensile stress films were deposited at 900°C at a pressure of 2 Torr using SiH2Cl2 and C2H2 (5% in H2) flow rates of 35 sccm and 180 sccm, respectively. XRD analysis of these films indicated a (111) 3C-SiC orientation regardless of substrate material. Both resistivity (1.3
-cm) and residual stress gradient (17 MPa/μm) were found to be relatively low and decreased as the film thickness increased. Unintentional nitrogen doping is responsible for the low resistivity measurements and its concentration in the films was about 1.86 x 1016 cm-3. Poly-SiC films exhibiting near-zero residual tensile stress, low stress gradient and relatively low resistivity have favorable properties for design and fabrication of MEMS devices.

Abstract: This paper explores polycrystalline 3C-silicon carbide (poly-SiC) deposited by LPCVD for fabricating flexible ribbon cable interconnects for micromachined neural probes. While doped silicon is used currently, we hypothesized that poly-SiC will provide enhanced mechanical robustness due to SiC’s superior mechanical properties. Paralleling prior work in silicon, forty-two different designs were fabricated from nitrogen-doped poly-SiC films deposited by LPCVD at 900°C using dichlorosilane and acetylene as precursors. The different designs were then tested in bending and twisting modes. Curved beams were found to bend nearly 250% more than straight beams before fracture. Longer beams withstood greater bending and twisting due to greater compliance. Longer and narrower beams generally outperformed shorter beams irrespective of design. Also, doped poly-SiC beams had, on average, breaking angles that were greater than those of identical doped silicon beams by ~50% in bending and ~20% in twisting modes. The paper details the designs studied, describes the fabrication process for the test structures and compares/contrasts the testing and simulation results related to the different designs to identify best design practices.

Abstract: A selective atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition (APCVD) process has been developed to deposit porous polycrystalline silicon carbide (poly-SiC) thin films containing a high density of through-pores measuring 50 to 70 nm in diameter. The selective deposition process involves the formation of poly-SiC films on patterned SiO2/polysilicon thin film multilayers using a carbonization-based 3C-SiC growth process. This technique capitalizes on significant differences in the nucleation of poly-SiC on SiO2 and polysilicon surfaces in order to form mechanically-durable, chemically-stable, and well anchored porous structures, thus offering a simple and potentially more versatile alternative to direct electrochemical etching.

Abstract: This paper reports the effect of deposition temperature on the deposition rate, residual stress, and resistivity of in-situ nitrogen-doped (N-doped) polycrystalline 3C-SiC (poly-SiC) films deposited by low pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD). N-doped poly-SiC films were deposited in a high-throughput, resistively-heated, horizontal LPCVD furnace capable of holding up to 150 mm-diameter substrates using SiH2Cl2 (100%) and C2H2 (5% in H2) precursors, with NH3 (5% in H2) as the doping gas. The deposition rate increased, while the residual stress decreased significantly as the deposition temperature increased from 825oC to 900°C. The resistivity of the films decreased significantly from 825°C to 850°C. Above 850°C, although the resistivity still decreased, the change was much smaller than at lower temperatures. XRD patterns indicated a polycrystalline (111) 3C-SiC texture for all films deposited in the temperature range studied. SIMS depth profiles indicated a constant nitrogen atom concentration of 2.6×1020/cm3 in the intentionally doped films deposited at 900°C. The nitrogen concentration of unintentionally doped films (i.e., when NH3 gas flow was zero) deposited at 900°C was on the order of 1017/cm3. The doped films deposited at 900°C exhibited a resistivity of 0.02
-cm and a tensile residual stress of 59 MPa, making them very suitable for use as a mechanical material supporting microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) device development.