Silicon nitride powder is a white, high melting point solid that is chemically inert and thermodynamically stable. It is an important material for a wide range of applications that require excellent room temperature and high temperature mechanical properties, oxidation resistance and creep resistance.

Known for its outstanding hardness and strength, si3n4 powder is an ideal material for mechanical applications that demand extreme strength with low thermal expansion and a long service life. Its unique combination of properties makes it a highly desirable ceramic for use in bearings, turbine blades and other structural components.

SINX STX-100 TECHNICAL CERAMIC (Si3N4) POWDER is one of the most advanced and precise technical ceramics available today. It offers the best combination of mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties of any ceramic in its class.

Dense and strong, it possesses the highest fracture toughness of any technological ceramic. It is also abrasion and corrosion resistant, making it a great choice for applications that involve heavy loads and harsh environments.

Si3N4 is a popular passivation layer in the semiconductor industry because it has a lower diffusion resistance to water and alkali ions than silicon dioxide. It is also a very good dielectric and an excellent thermal conductor.

The surface of Si3N4 is typically etched using a fluorine plasma. SF6-based, CF4-based and CHF3-based plasmas are commonly used. SF6-based plasmas have the advantage of a very fast etch rate, which is especially useful for anisotropic SiN surfaces.

The slurry used for etching in SiN CMP must be highly selective to minimize oxide removal and to maintain good wafer scale nonuniformity. This requires a very low SiN removal rate and is ideally achieved through the use of a highly selective nitride slurry.

tags: Semiconductors semiconductor industry