Quantitative surface stress measurements using a microcantilever

A method for calculating the surface stress associated with the deflection of a micromechanical cantilever is presented. This method overcomes some of the limitations associated with Stoney's formula by circumventing the need to know the cantilever's Young's modulus, which can have a high level of uncertainty, especially for silicon nitride cantilevers. The surface stress is calculated using readily measurable cantilever properties, such as its geometry, spring constant, and deflection. The method is applicable to both rectangular and triangular cantilevers. A calibration of the deflection measurement is also presented. The surface stress measurement is accurate to within 4%-7%. (C) 2001 American Institute of Physics.