Margariti, Eleni, Bruckbauer, Jochen, Winkelmann, Aimo, Guilhabert, Benoit, Gunasekar, Naresh-Kumar, Trager-Cowan, Carol, Martin, Robert and Strain, Michael
2025.
Strain-induced modifications of thin film silicon membranes through physical bending.
Materials
18
(10)
, 2335.
10.3390/ma18102335
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Abstract
Silicon, being the fundamental material for modern semiconductor devices, has seen continuous advancements to enhance its electrical and mechanical properties. Strain engineering is a well-established technique for improving the performance of silicon-based devices. In this paper, we propose a simple method for inducing and permanently maintaining strain in silicon through pure physical bending. By subjecting the silicon substrate to a controlled bending process, we demonstrate the generation of strain levels that persist even after the removal of external stress, with a maximum strain value of 0.4%. We present a comprehensive study of the mechanics behind this phenomenon, a full finite element mechanical model, and experimental verification of the bending-induced strain in Si membranes using electron backscatter diffraction measurements. Our findings show the potential of this approach for strain engineering in high-performance silicon-based technologies without resorting to complex and expensive fabrication techniques.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Date Type: | Publication |
| Status: | Published |
| Schools: | Schools > Physics and Astronomy |
| Publisher: | MDPI |
| ISSN: | 1996-1944 |
| Date of First Compliant Deposit: | 20 May 2025 |
| Date of Acceptance: | 13 May 2025 |
| Last Modified: | 28 May 2025 15:00 |
| URI: | https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/178379 |
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