Effects of fluorine stability and stress in SiOF films deposited by high-density plasma process on the generation of blisters were investigated by secondary ion mass spectrometry, thermal desorption spectroscopy (TDS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and four point bending method using Top-SiN/TEOS/SiOF/Bottom-SiN multilayer structure. There are two kinds of fluorine in SiOF films, one is stable fluorine detected by FTIR, and the other is unstable one detected by TDS. Unstable fluorine in SiOF films is easy to diffuse and generates blisters at the inter-face of Top-SiN/TEOS films. Concentration of unstable fluorine is increased as the O-2/SiH4 flow ratio increases and at flow ratios higher than 2.38, blisters are generated. Only the stable fluorine is related with dielectric constant of SiOF film. Hydrogen in gas phase during SiOF-film deposition plays an important role for fluorine stabilization. Compressive stress in SiOF films does not cause blisters. (C) 2005 The Electrochemical Society.