HF Etching and Silanization: Evidence for the Role of Surface Hydroxyl Groups in Silicon Nitride Resonator Loss

Abstract

Silicon nitride $Si{N}_x$ nanomechanical resonators are central to sensing, quantum technologies, and fundamental physics experiments due to their exceptional mechanical quality factors (Q). However, as resonator thickness approaches the nano-scale, surface-related dissipation limits performance. Here, we investigate the role of surface chemistry in low-stress Si-rich SiNx membranes through a combination of hydrofluoric acid (HF) etching and trimethylchlorosilane (TMCS) silanization, correlated with surface characterization and mechanical measurements. Preliminary analysis by TEM-EELS, XPS, RBS/ERDA, and XRR reveals a native oxide surface layer (1-2 nm). Surface modification by HF and TMCS was subsequently evaluated using XPS, photothermal FTIR, contact-angle measurements, and intrinsic quality factor ($Q_{int}$) characterization. While HF etching effectively removes the native oxide and TMCS introduces hydrophobic $Si-(C{H}_3{)}_3$ termination, neither oxide thickness nor surface energy correlates with mechanical dissipation. TMCS treatments produce the largest enhancements, increasing $Q_{int}$ by up to 50%, whereas HF etching alone yields lower gains of 20-25%. These findings suggest surface hydroxyl groups as a key contributor to energy loss in $Si{N}_x$ resonators and demonstrate that chemical functionalization can substantially suppress surface dissipation.