Charging of radiation induced defects in RF MEMS dielectric films

The paper investigates the charging of radiation induced defects in Si3N4 and SiO2 dielectric films, which are used in RF-MEMS switches. The radiation has been performed with 5MeV alpha particles. The assessment has been carried out in Metal-Insulator-Metal capacitors with the thermally stimulated depolarization currents and discharge current transient methods. This allowed monitoring the defects introduction as a function of radiation fluence. The defects electrical characteristics that are the activation energy and corresponding depolarization time constant were determined from the evolution of the thermally stimulated current spectra and the transient response of discharge currents at different temperatures.

[1]  R. Devine,et al.  Oxygen vacancy creation in SiO2 through ionization energy deposition , 1983 .

[2]  L. D. Edmonds,et al.  Total dose degradation of MEMS optical mirrors , 2003 .

[3]  Anhua Wang,et al.  Microelectromechanical system radio frequency switches in a picosatellite mission , 2001 .

[4]  R. Devine,et al.  Creation and annealing kinetics of magnetic oxygen vacancy centers in SiO2 , 1983 .

[5]  H.G.A. Huizing,et al.  Characterization of dielectric charging in RF MEMS capacitive switches , 2006, 2006 IEEE International Conference on Microelectronic Test Structures.

[6]  L. D. Edmonds,et al.  Radiation effects in micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS): RF relays , 2002 .

[7]  A. B. Campbell,et al.  The effects of radiation on MEMS accelerometers , 1996 .

[8]  George J. Papaioannou,et al.  RF MEMS sensitivity to electromagnetic radiation , 2005 .

[9]  D. Krick,et al.  Electrically active point defects in amorphous silicon nitride: An illumination and charge injection study , 1988 .

[10]  William C. Tang,et al.  Total dose effects on Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS): accelerometers , 1996 .

[11]  Fowler,et al.  Oxygen vacancy and the E1' center in crystalline SiO2. , 1987, Physical review. B, Condensed matter.

[12]  J. Cazaux,et al.  A physical approach to the radiation damage mechanisms induced by X‐rays in X‐ray microscopy and related techniques , 1997 .

[13]  S. Cass.  MEMS in space , 2001 .

[14]  Patrick Pons,et al.  Charging-Effects in RF capacitive switches influence of insulating layers composition , 2006, Microelectron. Reliab..

[15]  L. Edmonds,et al.  Radiation response of a MEMS accelerometer: an electrostatic force , 1998 .