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Determining the elastic modulus and hardness of an ultra-thin film on a substrate using nanoindentation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 January 2011

Han Li  and
Joost J. Vlassak
Han Li
Affiliation:
School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138
Joost J. Vlassak*
Affiliation:
School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138
*
a) Address all correspondence to this author. e-mail: vlassak@esag.harvard.edu
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Abstract

A data analysis procedure has been developed to estimate the contact area in an elasto-plastic indentation of a thin film bonded to a substrate. The procedure can be used to derive the elastic modulus and hardness of the film from the indentation load, displacement, and contact stiffness data at indentation depths that are a significant fraction of the film thickness. The analysis is based on Yu's elastic solution for the contact of a rigid conical punch on a layered half-space and uses an approach similar to the Oliver-Pharr method for bulk materials. The methodology is demonstrated for both compliant films on stiff substrates and the reverse combination and shows improved accuracy over previous methods.

Keywords

Elastic propertiesHardnessThin film
Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Materials Research , Volume 24 , Issue 3 , March 2009 , pp. 1114 - 1126
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2009

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