The Fabrication by using Surface MEMS of 3C-SiC Micro-heaters and RTD Sensors and their Resultant Properties

The electrical properties and the microstructure of nitrogen-doped poly 3C-SiC films used for micro thermal sensors were studied according to different thicknesses. Poly 3C-SiC films were deposited by LPCVD (low pressure chemical vapor deposition) at $900^{\circ}C$ with a pressure of 4 torr using $SiH_2Cl_2$ (100%, 35 sccm) and $C_2H_2$ (5% in $H_2$, 180 sccm) as the Si and C precursors, and $NH_3$ (5% in $H_2$, 64 sccm) as the dopant source gas. The resistivity of the poly SiC films with a 1,530 ${\AA}$ thickness was 32.7 ${\Omega}-cm$ and decreased to 0.0129 ${\Omega}-cm$ at 16,963 ${\AA}$. The measurement of the resistance variations at different thicknesses were carried out within the $25^{\circ}C$ to $350^{\circ}C$ temperature range. While the size of the resistance variation decreased when the films thickness increased, the linearity of the resistance variation improved. Micro heaters and RTD sensors were fabricated on a $Si_3N_4$ membrane by using poly 3C-SiC with a 1um thickness using a surface MEMS process. The heating temperature of the SiC micro heater, fabricated on 250 ${\mu}m$${\times}$250 ${\mu}m$ $Si_3N_4$ membrane was $410^{\circ}C$ at an 80 mW input power. These 3C-SiC heaters and RTD sensors, fabricated by surface MEMS, have a low power consumption and deliver a good long term stability for the various thermal sensors requiring thermal stability.