Definition
Film stress is the in-plane mechanical stress present in a deposited or grown thin film and its substrate system, arising from intrinsic growth effects, thermal-expansion mismatch, microstructure, or process conditions; it may be tensile or compressive.
Application
Semiconductor fabs measure and control film stress because excessive tensile or compressive stress can change wafer curvature, promote cracking or delamination, alter device properties, and complicate lithography, bonding, or multilayer integration.
Related search terms
Thin-film stress; residual film stress
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Related concepts
Evidence and further reading
- Evidence from spts.comhttps://www.spts.com/products/instruments/optical-profilers/zeta-388
- Evidence from kla.comhttps://www.kla.com/wp-content/uploads/KLA_AppNote_Stylus_2D_Stress.pdf