In this work, the effect of compressive surface stress on thin film membrane fracture was studied by bulge test. In order to create membranes with compressive residual stress at the surface, low-pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD) Si₃N₄ membranes were coated with a 1−8 nm compressive SiN_x adlayer or subjected to Ar-ion bombardment. Fracture strength analysis, done using finite element method and Weibull distribution, and microscope inspection of failed membranes showed that the pressure limit of the membranes is determined by the intrinsic fracture mode, caused by high stress induced at the membrane edge near the top surface. By creating compressive residual stress at the membrane surface, the maximum stress induced by the applied pressure was reduced and the fracture strength of the Si₃N₄ was increased from 17.3 GPa to 18.3 GPa. As a result, membranes with a compressive surface showed a 50 % increase in pressure limit, from 5 kPa/nm to 7.5 kPa/nm.

在这项工作中，通过膨胀试验研究了压缩表面应力对薄膜断裂的影响。为了创建在表面具有压缩残余应力的膜，在低压化学气相沉积（LPCVD）Si ₃ N ₄膜上涂覆了1-8 nm压缩SiN _x或受到Ar离子轰击。使用有限元方法和Weibull分布进行的断裂强度分析以及对失效膜的显微镜检查表明，膜的压力极限由固有断裂模式决定，该固有断裂模式是由在顶表面附近的膜边缘引起的高应力引起的。通过在膜表面产生压缩残余应力，减小了由施加压力引起的最大应力，并且Si ₃ N ₄的断裂强度从17.3 GPa增加到18.3 GPa。结果，具有压缩表面的膜显示出压力极限增加了50％，从5 kPa / nm增大到7.5 kPa / nm。