INTERNAL-STRESS AND ELASTIC-MODULUS MEASUREMENTS ON MICROMACHINED 3C-SIC THIN-FILMS

Fabrication of epitaxial 3C-SiC microstructures by bulk micromachining of the underlying silicon substrate was investigated. Initial studies of the mechanical properties of epitaxial 3C-SiC films deposited on s ilicon were carried out on microstructures fabricated by bulk micromac hining of the silicon substrate to evaluate the potential of these fil ms for micromechanics. Residual stress and biaxial modulus of 3C-SiC f ilms were measured by load-deflection measurements of suspended diaphr agms. The film's residual stress was tensile with an average of 212 MP a, while the in-plane biaxial modulus averaged 441 GPa.