METHOD OF PRODUCING HIGHLY STRAINED PECVD SILICON NITRIDE THIN FILMS AT LOW TEMPERATURE

摘要

A method for increasing the level of stress for amorphous thin film stressors by means of modifying the internal structure of such stressors is provided. The method includes first forming a first portion of an amorphous film stressor material (14) on at least a surface of a substrate (12), said first portion (18) having a first state of mechanical strain defining a first stress value. After the forming step, the first portion of the amorphous film stressor material is densified (20) such that the first state of mechanical strain is not substantiaUydtered,hile increasing the first stress value. In some embodiments, the steps of forming and densifying are repeated any number of times (20, 2OA, 20B) to obtain a preselected and desired thickness for the stressor.