本文主要是探討銀矽薄膜受到奈米壓痕試驗後之機械性質，以及奈米壓痕試片進行退火處理後之微觀結構的變化。首先在(100)方向之單晶矽矽晶圓上，以熱蒸鍍機分別蒸鍍出100nm (第一組試片)與500nm(第二組試片)之銀薄膜；再以光罩蝕刻出輔助定位陣列，並利用奈米壓痕量測儀(MTS-XP)對兩組試片進行800nm深度之奈米壓痕測試，求取其機械性質。另將奈米壓痕試片以快速退火爐(RTA)分別進行未退火、退火600℃、700℃及800℃等處理，同時第二組試片在未受壓痕試驗的情況下進行退火600℃及800℃以作為對照，再利用聚焦離子束電子顯微鏡(FIB)製作出TEM試片，藉以觀察壓痕在經過各種條件的退火處理後，薄膜與基材材料微觀結構的變化。
機械性質的量測結果顯示，各項機械性質曲線之趨勢受壓痕尺寸效應(在壓痕深度小於50 nm前)及基材效應(當壓痕深度接近基底時)所影響，厚度為100 nm之銀薄膜試片最後之硬度與楊氏模數分別為2.1GPa以及177.07GPa；而厚度為500 nm試片之硬度與楊氏模數分別為1.46GPa以及115.6GPa。微觀結構方面，當銀/矽薄膜受到奈米壓痕以及退火處理後，直接受到壓痕作用之區域會從原本的單晶矽變為非晶矽或是多晶矽以及非晶矽之混合相。當退火溫度較高時，直接受到壓痕作用之區域(壓痕影響區)多以多晶矽以及非晶矽之混合相的形貌出現。而壓痕影響區之周圍會有部分的矽發生變形以及滑移，最外圍之矽則仍保單晶矽之形貌。在兩種薄膜厚度各經700℃及800℃退火處理的實驗條件之試片，均可發現銀的矽化物AgSi之存在，而未經壓痕試驗即退火600℃和800℃的試片中則沒有銀的矽化物AgSi存在，證明了奈米壓痕行為可改變薄膜與基材間之能量、內應力及原子排列，再佐以退火溫度的作用，將加速銀、矽界面原子擴散，進而降低製程溫度。

The nano-mechanical properties of as-deposited composite Ag / Si thin film comprising a Ag layer with a thickness of 100 nm and 500 nm deposited on a Si (100) substrate are investigated by performing nanoindenation tests to a maximum depth of 800 nm. The microstructural evolutions of as-deposited indented specimens and specimens annealed at temperature of 600℃, 700℃ and 800℃ for 2 min are then examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques. The nanoindentation results show that for both specimens with Ag layer thickness of 100 nm and 500 nm, the loading-unloading curve is continuous and smooth in the loading step. However, the unloading profile of the two specimens are clearly different. The unloading profile of the specimen with a thickness of 500 nm is continuous and smooth. However, the unloading curve of the specimen with a thickness of 100 nm has a prominent pop-out feature. The hardness and young’s modulus of the Ag / Si thin film indented to a maximum depth of 800 nm are determined to be 2.1 GPa and 92.07 GPa for the thin film with a thickness of 100nm, and 1.46 GPa and 83.6 GPa for the thickness of 500 nm. The microstructural observations reveal that the indentation affected zone of an as-deposited specimen is characterized by a mixture amorphous phase and nanocrystalline phase for the thin film with a thickness of 100 nm. However, the indentation affectef zone of the thin with a thickness of 500nm contains an amorphous phase only. Following the annealing process, the microstructure of the indentation affected zone contains a mixed structure of amorphous phase and nanocrystalline phase. At annealing temperature of 700℃ and 800℃, the silver silicide of AgSi is formed within the indentation affected zone for both thin films with thickness of 100 nm and 500 nm.

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