Prominent deflections are shown to occur in freestanding silicon nitride thin membranes when exposed to a 50 keV gallium focused ion beam for ion doses between 10(14) and 10(17) ions/cm(2). Atomic force microscope topographs were used to quantify elevations on the irradiated side and corresponding depressions of comparable magnitude on the back side, thus indicating that what at first appeared ...

We present a micro-electro-mechanical system-based experimental technique to measure thermal conductivity of freestanding ultra-thin films of amorphous silicon nitride (Si3N4) as a function of mechanical strain. Using a combination of infrared thermal micrography and multi-physics simulation, we measured thermal conductivity of 50 nm thick silicon nitride films to observe it decrease from 2.7 W...

Two types of hot-pressed silicon nitride, one having an amorphous grain-boundary phase (6 wt% yttria, 3 wt% alumina) and the other having a predominantly crystalline grain-boundary phase (8 wt% yttria, 1 wt% alumina), were tested on a split Hopkinson pressure bar with a momentum trap, such that, in each test, the sample was subjected to a single predefined stress pulse and then recovered withou...

With ultrafast electron microscopy (UEM), we report observation of the nanoscopic crystallization of amorphous silicon nitride, and the ultrashort optomechanical motion of the crystalline silicon nitride at the interface of an adhering carbon nanotube network. The in situ static crystallization of the silicon nitride occurs only in the presence of an adhering nanotube network, thus indicating t...

The pH sensing and nonideal characteristics of a ruthenium nitride (RuN) sensing membrane pH sensor were investigated. RuN thin films were deposited from a 99.9% ruthenium target on p-type silicon substrates using radio frequency (r.f.) sputtering with N(2) gas. Subsequently, the nanometric structure and surface morphology of RuN thin films were determined. The sensitivity of the RuN sensing me...

A unique, all-ceramic material capable of nonbrittle fracture via crack deflection and delamination has been mechanically characterized from 25° through 1400°C. This material, fibrous monoliths, was comprised of unidirectionally aligned 250 mm diameter silicon nitride cells surrounded by 10 to 20 mm thick boron nitride cell boundaries. The average flexure strengths of fibrous monoliths were 510...

We demonstrate an ultra-compact and low-threshold thulium microcavity laser that is monolithically integrated on a silicon chip. The integrated microlaser consists of an active thulium-doped aluminum oxide microcavity beside a passive silicon nitride bus waveguide, which enables on-chip pump-input and laser-output coupling. We observe lasing in the wavelength range of 1.8-1.9 μm under 1.6 μm re...

Total joint replacements currently have relatively high success rates at 10-15 years; however, increasing ageing and an active population places higher demands on the longevity of the implants. A wear resistant configuration with wear particles that resorb in vivo can potentially increase the lifetime of an implant. In this study, silicon nitride (SixNy) and silicon carbon nitride (SixCyNz) coa...

Careful testing over a period of 6 years of a number of GaAs/AlGaAs quantized Hall resistors (QHR) made with alloyed AuGe/Ni contacts, both with and without passivating silicon nitride coatings, has resulted in the identification of important mechanisms responsible for degradation in the performance of the devices as resistance standards. Covering the contacts with a film, such as a low-tempera...

In this article the effects of process parameters of CHF31N2 plasma etching chemistry ~rf power 50–70 W, pressure 22.5–52.5 mTorr, and N2 content 0%–95%! and mask materials ~photoresist, aluminum, and silicon nitride! on the etching selectivity of silicon nitride over polysilicon are investigated. It was found that the selectivity increased with the N2 content in the range of 0%–85% and then de...