Fabrication of low-stress silicon nitride film for application to biochemical sensor array

Abstract

Low-stress silicon nitride (LSN) thin films with embedded metal line have been developed as free standing structures to keep microspheres in proper locations and localized heat source for application to a chip-based sensor array for the simultaneous and near-real-time detection of multiple analytes in solution. The LSN film has been utilized as a structural material as well as a hard mask layer for wet anisotropic etching of silicon. The LSN was deposited by LPCVD (Low Pressure Chemical Vapor Deposition) process by varing the ratio of source gas flows. The residual stress of the LSN film was measured by laser curvature method. The residual stress of the LSN film is 6 times lower than that of the stoichiometric silicon nitride film. The test results showed that not only the LSN film but also the stack of LSN layers with embedded metal line could stand without notable deflection.