CIPRIAN ILIESCU, JIASHEN WEI, BANGTAO CHEN, POH LAM ONG
Silicon Nitride Membrane for Cell Culturing

Abstract. This paper presents a development in producing low residual stress PECVD SiN_x layers at high deposition rates and their application in cell culturing. The key factor in the novel process is the employment of up to 600 W high powers in high frequency (13.56 MHz). In conjunction with the adjustment of the reactant gases composition, the residual stress can be tuned to 4 MPa and high deposition rate up to 320 nm/min can be achieved meanwhile. Moreover, by using this optimized process, an 11µm thick low stress SiN_x layer was produced, which will be used to fabricate large area windows for cell culture. Finally, a cell culture test by cultivating mouse stem cells onto porous membrane by the low stress PECVD SiN_x layers also indicated that these layers are biocompatible and are suitable for cell culturing.

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