Micro-Raman spectroscopy measurement of stress in silicon

Understanding microscale stress characterization of integrated circuits and micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) structures is essential for the successful design and operation of the devices. In this paper, we introduce the use of Raman spectroscopy to measure the stress in single-crystal silicon. The constant coefficient between stress and Raman shift was measured, which is −462 in our experiment case. The effect of laser heating of the sample was studied and discussed. Normally, low laser power should be used on the stress measurement.