Measurement of Thin Film Mechanical Properties Using Nanoindentation

MRS Bulletin ◽  
1992 ◽  
Vol 17 (7) ◽  
pp. 28-33 ◽  
Author(s):  
G.M. Pharr ◽  
W.C. Oliver
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Thin Films ◽  
Mechanical Properties ◽  
Hard Coatings ◽  
Optical Coatings ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Nanometer Scale ◽  
Indentation Testing ◽  
Microelectronic Device ◽  
Convenient Means

One of the simplest ways to measure the mechanical properties of a thin film is to deform it on a very small scale. Because indentation testing with a sharp indenter is one convenient means to accomplish this, nanoindentation, or indentation testing at the nanometer scale, has become one of the most widely used techniques for measuring the mechanical properties of thin films. Other reasons for the popularity of nanoindentation stem from the ease with which a wide variety of mechanical properties can be measured without removing the film from its substrate and the ability to probe a surface at numerous points and spatially map its mechanical properties. The utility of the mapping capability is illustrated in Figure 1, which shows several small indentations made at selected points in a microelectronic device. The hardness and modulus of the device were determined at each point. In addition to microelectronics, nanoindentation has also proved useful in the study of optical coatings, hard coatings, and materials with surfaces modified by ion implantation and laser treatment.

scholarly journals Deviation in Nano-Mechanical Properties of Ceramic Nano Composite Thin Films

2017 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 01-04
Author(s):  
A. S. Bhattacharyya ◽  
R. P. Kumar
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Thin Films ◽  
Mechanical Properties ◽  
Magnetron Sputtering ◽  
Strain Hardening ◽  
Hard Coatings ◽  
Film Stress ◽  
Nano Composite ◽  
Thin Film Stress ◽  
Morphological Patterns

Ceramic hard Coatings based on Si, C , N, Ti and B were developed using magnetron sputtering, applicable for protecting the underlying substrate. Different morphological patterns were observed on the coating surface due to sputtering. Nanoindentation was used to determine the hardness and modulus of the coatings. The deviations in H and E values were attributed to indentation positions, thin film stress and anisotropy. Evidence of strain hardening was found during loading.

Characterizing the Modulus and Hardness of Photopatternable Silicone Compositions Using Depth Sensing Nanoindentation

2003 ◽  
Vol 769 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian R. Harkness ◽  
Richard L. Schalek ◽  
Satyen K. Sarmah ◽  
Lawrence T. Drzal
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Thin Films ◽  
Mechanical Properties ◽  
Sample Surface ◽  
Bulk Sample ◽  
Microelectronic Device ◽  
Depth Sensing ◽  
Device Integration ◽  
Low Modulus ◽  
Thin Film Dielectrics

AbstractThe mechanical properties of two cured silicone monolithic specimens with targeted bulk moduli of 300 and 10 MPa have been evaluated by DMA and regionally by CSM nanoindentation. The results showed that the mechanical properties of the monolithic samples were heterogeneous, with the DMA and nanoindention results only in agreement at the midplane of cleaved bulk samples. The specimens showed a significantly higher modulus at the sample surfaces compared to the bulk. Thin films of the same silicones displayed a modulus closer to that of the bulk sample surface. The nanoindentation results of this study were reliable and consistent, and are being used to assess the effects of material and microelectronic device integration processes on the mechanical properties of a series of low modulus photopatternable silicone thin film dielectrics.

Mechanical deflection of cantilever microbeams: A new technique for testing the mechanical properties of thin films

1988 ◽  
Vol 3 (5) ◽  
pp. 931-942 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. P. Weihs ◽  
S. Hong ◽  
J. C. Bravman ◽  
W. D. Nix
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Thin Films ◽  
Mechanical Properties ◽  
Single Layer ◽  
Beam Theory ◽  
New Technique ◽  
Young’S Moduli ◽  
Silicon Micromachining ◽  
A New Technique

The mechanical deflection of cantilever microbeams is presented as a new technique for testing the mechanical properties of thin films. Single-layer microbeams of Au and SiO2 have been fabricated using conventional silicon micromachining techniques. Typical thickness, width, and length dimensions of the beams are 1.0,20, and 30 μm, respectively. The beams are mechanically deflected by a Nanoindenter, a submicron indentation instrument that continuously monitors load and deflection. Using simple beam theory and the load-deflection data, the Young's moduli and the yield strengths of thin-film materials that comprise the beams are determined. The measured mechanical properties are compared to those obtained by indenting similar thin films supported by their substrate.

Deposition energy dependence in cluster-assembled thin film densities

2005 ◽  
Vol 908 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristoffer Meinander ◽  
Tina Clauss ◽  
Kai Nordlund
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Thin Films ◽  
Mechanical Properties ◽  
Molecular Dynamics ◽  
Energy Dependence ◽  
Computer Simulations ◽  
Cluster Atom ◽  
Cu Nanoclusters ◽  
Deposition Energy

AbstractMechanical properties of thin films grown by nanocluster deposition are highly dependent on the energy at which the clusters are deposited. Using molecular dynamics computer simulations we have quantitatively studied variations in the properties of copper thin films grown by deposition of Cu nanoclusters, at energies ranging from 5 meV to 10 eV per cluster atom, on a Cu (100) substrate.

Mechanical Properties and Wear Resistance of High Moment thin Film Head Materials

1994 ◽  
Vol 356 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Deng ◽  
V. R. Inturi ◽  
J. A. Barnard
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Thin Films ◽  
Mechanical Properties ◽  
Wear Resistance ◽  
Magnetic Thin Films ◽  
Mechanical And Tribological Properties ◽  
Sputtered Films ◽  
Recording Heads ◽  
High Density Recording ◽  
Worn Surface

AbstractMechanical and tribological properties of soft magnetic thin films with high permeability and low coercivity are very important for the application of these films in high-density recording heads. This paper reports our experimental observations on these important properties of FeTaN thin film head materials. Hardness(H) and Young’s modulus(E) for FeTaN sputtered films were determined by nanoindentation. Wear resistance of these films against commercial magnetic tapes was measured with a sphere-on-flat wear tester. The experimental results indicate that the FeTa films can be hardened when nitrogen is introduced. It was found in this study that the thermal stability of the mechanical properties such as hardness of thin films containing nitrogen is better than that of the film without nitrogen. However, our experiments also revealed that the wear resistance of FeTaN films decreases when the concentration of nitrogen increases and the hardness of the worn surface at a wear scar is lower than that of the unworn surface.

Characterization of Mechanical Properties of Thin Films by Nanoindentation Technique and Finite Element Simulation

2002 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhaohui Shan ◽  
Suresh K. Sitaraman
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Thin Films ◽  
Mechanical Properties ◽  
Finite Element ◽  
Strain Hardening Exponent ◽  
Plastic Properties ◽  
Titanium Thin Film ◽  
Nanoindentation Technique ◽  
Element Simulation ◽  
Titanium Thin Films

Titanium thin films have been widely used in microelectronics due to their good adhesion to substrates, such as Silicon wafer and Quartz. However, mechanical behavior of Titanium thin films has not been well characterized. This paper presents a methodology that combines the nanoindentation technique and finite element modeling to characterize the mechanical (elastic and plastic) properties of thin film with its application on Titanium thin film deposited on silicon substrate. The results show that the elastic properties (Young’s modulus) of the Titanium thin film does not change much from the bulk Titanium, and the plastic properties (yield stress and strain hardening exponent) of the Titanium thin film are higher than those of bulk Titanium. This method is also applicable for the study of mechanical properties of other thin films and small volume materials.

Analysis of the accuracy of the bulge test in determining the mechanical properties of thin films

1992 ◽  
Vol 7 (6) ◽  
pp. 1553-1563 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martha K. Small ◽  
W.D. Nix
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Thin Films ◽  
Mechanical Properties ◽  
Finite Element ◽  
Material Properties ◽  
Deformation Behavior ◽  
Initial Conditions ◽  
Standard Technique ◽  
Bulge Test ◽  
The Finite Element Method

Since its first application to thin films in the 1950's the bulge test has become a standard technique for measuring thin film mechanical properties. While the apparatus required for the test is simple, interpretation of the data is not. Failure to recognize this fact has led to inconsistencies in the reported values of properties obtained using the bulge test. For this reason we have used the finite element method to model the deformation behavior of a thin film in a bulge test for a variety of initial conditions and material properties. In this paper we will review several of the existing models for describing the deformation behavior of a circular thin film in a bulge test, and then analyze these models in light of the finite element results. The product of this work is a set of equations and procedures for analyzing bulge test data that will improve the accuracy and reliability of this technique.

Cycling Times of Thin-Film NiTi on Si

1991 ◽  
Vol 246 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Peter Jardine
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Thin Films ◽  
Mechanical Properties ◽  
Response Times ◽  
Bulk Material ◽  
Fast Response ◽  
Promising Candidate ◽  
Strain Measurements ◽  
Micro Actuator ◽  
Acoustic Velocities

AbstractThe thermo-mechanical properties of NiTi are well known for bulk material although its deposition and utilization as a thin film are still in their earliest stages. The deposition of thin-films of Shape Memory Effect NiTi onto Si(100) wafers offers several advantages over bulk NiTi, including fast response times and comparitively large transformation forces, and so is a promising candidate as a micro-actuator for MicroElectroMechanical (MEMS) systems as well as in strain measurements. The response time for a variety of NiTi layers were modelled under different boundary conditions and show response times similar to the acoustic velocities for one micron thick NiTi.

scholarly journals A Direct Comparison of Three Buckling-Based Methods to Measure the Elastic Modulus of Nanobiocomposite Thin Films

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Taylor C. Stimpson ◽  
Daniel A. Osorio ◽  
Emily D. Cranston ◽  
Jose Moran-Mirabal
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Thin Films ◽  
Mechanical Properties ◽  
Elastic Modulus ◽  
Elastic Moduli ◽  
Input Parameter ◽  
Layer By Layer ◽  
Free Standing ◽  
Film Composition ◽  
Parameter Values

<p>To engineer tunable thin film materials, accurate measurement of their mechanical properties is crucial. However, characterizing the elastic modulus with current methods is particularly challenging for sub-micrometer thick films and hygroscopic materials because they are highly sensitive to environmental conditions and most methods require free-standing films which are difficult to prepare. In this work, we directly compared three buckling-based methods to determine the elastic moduli of supported thin films: 1) biaxial thermal shrinking, 2) uniaxial thermal shrinking, and 3) the mechanically compressed, strain-induced elastic buckling instability for mechanical measurements (SIEBIMM) method. Nanobiocomposite model films composed of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) and polyethyleneimine (PEI) were assembled using layer-by-layer deposition to control composition and thickness. The three buckling-based methods yielded the same trends and comparable values for the elastic moduli of each CNC-PEI film composition (ranging from 15 – 44 GPa, depending on film composition). This suggests that the methods are similarly effective for the quantification of thin film mechanical properties. Increasing the CNC content in the films statistically increased the modulus, however, increasing the PEI content did not lead to significant changes. The standard deviation of elastic moduli determined from SIEBIMM was 2-4 times larger than for thermal shrinking, likely due to extensive cracking and partial film delamination. In light of these results, biaxial thermal shrinking is recommended as the method of choice because it affords the simplest implementation and analysis and is the least sensitive to small deviations in the input parameter values, such as film thickness or substrate modulus.</p>

Hrtem Study of Interface Structure Of Heteroepitaxially Grown GaAs Thin Films on GaAs(l00)

1998 ◽  
Vol 4 (S2) ◽  
pp. 624-625
Author(s):  
Z.R. Dai ◽  
S.R. Chegwidden ◽  
F.S. Ohuchi
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Thin Films ◽  
Mechanical Properties ◽  
Second Harmonic ◽  
Interface Structure ◽  
Thermal And Mechanical Properties ◽  
Surface And Interface ◽  
Device Structures ◽  
New Generation ◽  
Related Compounds

GaSe, a member of the III-VI compound semiconductors, and its related compounds have recently gained an considerable attention because of their high non-linear optical coefficients in the infrared ranges, making them candidates for second harmonic generation (SHG) materials[l,2]. While the optical properties of those materials in bulk form are quite promising, poor thermal and mechanical properties preclude their easy applications. In thin film devices, the thermal and mechanical properties are dominated by those of the substrate, therefore, heteroepitaxially grown thin films of GaSe and related materials on substrates such as GaAs, Si and A12O3 should enable their application in device structures. Development of such new generation of materials, however, require fundamental knowledge about the surface and interface structure that play decisive roles in the thin film crystallinity and materials properties.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document