A.W. Groenland

Electrical properties of low pressure chemical vapor deposited silicon nitride thin films for temperatures up to 650 °C

The results of a study on electrical conduction in low pressure chemical vapor deposited silicon nitride thin films for temperatures up to 650 °C are described. Current density versus electrical field characteristics are measured as a function of temperature for 100 and 200 nm thick stoichiometric (Si3N4) and low stress silicon-rich (SiRN) films. For high E-fields and temperatures up to 500 °C conduction through Si3N4 can be described well by Frenkel–Poole transport with a barrier height of ∼ 1.10 eV, whereas for SiRN films Frenkel–Poole conduction prevails up to 350 °C with a barrier height of ∼ 0.92 eV. For higher temperatures, dielectric breakdown of the Si3N4 and SiRN films occurred before the E-field was reached above which Frenkel–Poole conduction dominates. A design graph is given that describes the maximum E-field that can be applied over silicon nitride films at high temperatures before electrical breakdown occurs.

Micro- and nano-link ultra-low power heaters for sensors

A new microfabricated device for heating and sensing in gases is presented. It is based on the resistive heating of a micro- or nano-metric hollow cylinder of titanium nitride, and measurement of its (temperature-dependent) resistance. This article presents the fabrication and temperature calibration of the device, and illustrates its function as flow meter and thermal conductivity meter. A temperature of 280 °C is achieved at a power consumption of only 5.5 μW, orders of magnitude less than existing commercial hotplate devices. The thermal time constant can be as low as 60-120 microseconds.

Nano-Link Based Ultra Low Power Micro Electronic Hotplates for Sensors and Actuators

Ultra low-power electrical hotplates are presented based on Ohmic heating of a small conductive volume (link) sandwiched between two electrodes. The link is fabricated by etching a hole in the dielectric layer between the electrodes and subsequently filling it with TiN deposited via ALD. This results in a hollow vertical cylinder with the walls covered by a conductive (TiN) film with a thickness of 7-15 nm. Devices with micro-

Four point probe structures with buried electrodes for the electrical characterization of ultrathin conducting films

(\oslash \sim2-6 \mu m)

Thermal and plasma-enhanced oxidation of ALD TiN

and nano- (

A Difference in Using Atomic Layer Deposition or Physical Vapour Deposition TiN as Electrode Material in Metal-Insulator-Metal and Metal-Insulator-Silicon Capacitors

\oslash \sim100 nm)

A study of thermal oxidation and plasma-enhanced oxidation/reduction of ALD TiN layers

links were fabricated on silicon substrates and electrically characterized (I-V curves). The link temperature as a function of the applied power was estimated. Devices with a micro link reached a link temperature of ~250 oC with a power consumption of 2.7 mW. Devices with a nanolink exhibited a link temperature of ~280 oC by consuming only 5.5 µW.

On the leakage problem of MIM capacitors due to improper etching of titanium nitride

Test structures for the electrical characterization of ultrathin conductive (ALD) films are presented based on buried electrodes on which the ultrathin film is deposited. This work includes test structure design and fabrication, and the electrical characterization of ALD TiN films down to 4 nm. It is shown that these structures can be used successfully to characterize sub 10 nm films.