Strength Reliability of Micro Polycrystalline Silicon Structure

In order to evaluate strength reliability of micron size polycrystalline silicon (poly-Si) structure, bending tests of cantilever beam and Weibull analysis are performed. Recently, the importance of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) in society is increasing, and the number of production is also increasing. The MEMS devices, which contain mechanical movement, have to maintain their reliability in face of external shock, thermal stress and residual stress from manufacturing processes. In greeting the mass production era of the MEMS, in case the material strength design of MEMS is performed, required strength data is not average value but the variation, especially minimum value of the material. Micron size poly-Si structure is widely employed in the MEMS such as microsensor, switching device and so on. Then, in order to evaluate strength reliability of micron size poly-Si structure, tests and analysis are performed. The specimen is made by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process and thickness is 3.5, 6.4 and 8.3 micrometer and the specimen has notch. The test specimen used for the test changed characteristics of (1) film thickness (2) stress concentration, and investigation about the influence each effects of the variation in a bending strength are discussed.