Performance enhancement due to process induced strained technology is mandatory in recent CMOS technology (90 nm and beyond) to meet the device specifications. In fact, the strain induced in a Si channel results in band structure distortion and mobility increase. . Silicon Nitride (SiN) Contact Etch Stop Layers (CESL) are widely used for this purpose and bring for example an up to 70 % saturation current increase in PMOS transistors.

Standard  physical and chemical characterisation is usually carried out, but mechanical measurements are not common on such high stressed thin films. The purpose of this paper is the measurement of Young’s modulus and hardness by nanoindentation and picosecond acoustics.

In this paper, we demonstrate that contrary to what the nanoindentation theory expects, one can mechanically characterise our 200 nm thickness high stressed SiN thin film. Moreover, picosecond acoustics appears as the best method for  mechanical characterisation of thinner films.

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