Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Measurement of static and dynamic mechanical behavior of micro and nano-scale thin metal films: using micro-cantilever beam deflection

  • Technical Paper
  • Published:
Microsystem Technologies Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

We present the results of a novel micro-beam deflection test used to investigate the static and dynamic mechanical behavior of submicron-thick metal films. The method demonstrated in this study allows researchers to observe the motion of micro and nano-scale thin films responding to electrostatic loads, by means of laser reflection measurements at frequency rates of up to 500 Hz. Researchers fabricated a supporting frame and a novel triangular shaped “paddle” beam designed to provide uniform plane stress distribution while undergoing deflection. A simple geometric calculation, based on cantilever deflection, enabled the degree of strain to be determined, which in turn provided the Young’s modus for aluminum film of a given thickness. We also studied the dynamic behavior using the dynamic frequency response of the beam, generated by electrostatic forces under various loads and vacuum pressure conditions. Our results showed that air damping has a significant influence on the free damping behavior of specimens, and only a minor influence on damping frequency. We determined the loss angle and frequency using sweep frequency and free damping methods, which were very consistent with paddle resonant frequencies. The loss angle obtained from a simple silicon micro-beam was 2.001 × 10−4°using the free damping method and 2.23 × 10−4°using the sweep frequency method. The dynamic response loss mechanism measured in this experiment provides incentive for the further study of grain boundary motion and dislocation motion in thin films.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13
Fig. 14
Fig. 15
Fig. 16
Fig. 17
Fig. 18
Fig. 19

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Berry BS (1988) Anelastic relaxation and diffusion in thin layer materials. In: Gupta D, Ho PS (eds) Diffusion phenomena in thin films and microelectronic materials. Noyes, Park Ridge, NJ 73:73–145

  • Berry BS, Pritchet WC (1981) Defect studies of thin layers by the vibrating-reed technique. J Phys C5:1111–1122

    Google Scholar 

  • Cardinale GF, Howitt DG, Clift WM, McCarty KF, Medlin DL, Mirkarimi PB, Moody NR (1996) Micromachined silicon cantilever beam for thin-film stress measurement. Thin Solid Films 287:214–219

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Choi DH, Kim H, Nix WD (2004) Anelasticity and damping of thin aluminum films on silicon substrates. J MEMS 13(2):230–237

    Google Scholar 

  • Gan L, Nissan BB, David AB (1996) Modeling and finite element analysis of ultra-micro hardness indentation of thin films. Thin Solid Films 290–291:362–366

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Huang H, Spaepen F (2000) Tensile testing of free-standing Cu, Ag and Al thin films and Ag/Cu multilayers. Acta Mater 48:3261–3269

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jiang H, Yu MF, Liu B, Huang Y (2004) Intrinsic energy loss mechanisms in a cantilever carbon nanotube beam oscillator. Phys Rev Let 93(18):185501-1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kusaka K, Hanabusa T, Nishida M, Inoko F (1996) Residual stress and in situ thermal stress measurement of aluminum film deposited on silicon wafer. Thin Solid Films 290–291:248–253

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Madou MJ (2002) Fundamentals of microfabrication, 2nd edn. CRC Press, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Nishino Y (1999) Mechanical properties of thin-film materials evaluated from amplitude-dependent internal friction. J Electron Mater 28(9):1023–1031

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nowick AS, Berry BS (1972) Anelastic relaxation in crystalline solids. Academic, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Petersen KE (1982) Silicon as a mechanical material. Proc IEEE 70(5):420–457

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sharpe WN Jr, Yuan, Vaidyanathan B, Dauskardt RRH et al (1996) Proc SPIE-Int Soc Opt Eng 78

  • Shikida M, Sato K, Tokoro K, Uchikawa D (2000) Difference in anisotropic etching properties of KOH and TMAH solutions. Sens Actuators 80:179–188

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tabata O, Asahi R, Funabashi H, Shimaoka K, Sugiyama S (1992) Anisotropic etching of silicon in TMAH solutions. Sens Actuators A 34:51–57

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tong CJ, Lin MT (2009) Design and development of a novel paddle test structure for the mechanical behavior measurement of thin films application for MEMS. Microsyst Technol 15(8):1207–1216

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  • Tong CJ, Cheng YC, Lin MT, Chung KJ, Hsu JS, Wu CL et al (2010) Optical micro-paddle beam deflection measurement for electrostatic mechanical testing of nano-scale thin film application to MEMS. Microsyst Technol doi: 10.1007/s00542-009-0999-7

  • Vinci RP, Baker SP (2002) Mechanical properties in small dimensions. MRS Bull 27(1):12–13

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wegel RL, Walther H (1935) Internal dissipation in solids for small cyclic strains. Physics 6:141–157

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zener CM (1937) Internal friction in solids. I. Theory of internal friction in reeds. Phys Rev 52:230–235

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zener CM (1960) Elasticity and anelasticity of metals. University of Chicago Press, Chicago

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors express their gratitude to Professor Walter L. Brown of Lehigh University, for his kind advice. This work was supported by Taiwan National Science Council; grant number NSC 98 -2221 -E- 005- 010 and was also supported in part, by the Ministry of Education, Taiwan, under the ATU plan.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Graduate Institute of Precision Engineering, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, 402, Taiwan, ROC

    Ya-Chi Cheng, Chi-Jia Tong & Ming-Tzer Lin

Authors
  1. Ya-Chi Cheng
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Chi-Jia Tong
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Ming-Tzer Lin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ming-Tzer Lin.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Cheng, YC., Tong, CJ. & Lin, MT. Measurement of static and dynamic mechanical behavior of micro and nano-scale thin metal films: using micro-cantilever beam deflection. Microsyst Technol 17, 721–730 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00542-010-1202-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00542-010-1202-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation