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Practical Limitations to Indentation Testing of Thin Films

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 February 2011

J. A. Schneider ,
K. F. McCarty ,
J. R. Heffelfinger  and
N. R. Moody
J. A. Schneider
Affiliation:
Sandia National Laboratories, Livermore, CA 94551
K. F. McCarty
Affiliation:
Sandia National Laboratories, Livermore, CA 94551
J. R. Heffelfinger
Affiliation:
Sandia National Laboratories, Livermore, CA 94551
N. R. Moody
Affiliation:
Sandia National Laboratories, Livermore, CA 94551
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Abstract

A method that is becoming increasingly common for measuring the mechanical behavior of thin films is low-load indentation testing. However, there can be complications in interpreting the results as many factors can affect hardness and moduli measurements such as surface roughness and determination of the indentation contact area. To further our understanding, the mechanical properties of thin (50 nm) films of AlN on sapphire substrates were evaluated using a scanning force microscopy (SFM) based pico-indentation device to allow imaging of the surface and indentations. Our primary emphasis was the types of problems or limitations involved in testing very thin, as deposited films in which properties are desired over indentation depths less than 50 nm.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 505 , 1997 , 91
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1998

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References

REFERENCES

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