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Strain shielding and confined plasticity in thin polymer films: Impacts on thermomechanical data storage

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Substrate constraints and interfacial boundary layers in thin polystyrene films are explored with high strain rate indentations characteristic of thermomechanical terabit data storage operations. Under these impact-like conditions, the coupling of strain-rate and inertial effects leads to large plastic deformations relative to quasi-static indentations. Strain shielding is present when the plastic deformation radius exceeds ∼65% of the film thickness. Thereafter, deformation is restricted by the rigid substrate, giving rise to elevated rim heights and interfacial shearing. The shielding effects were alleviated with use of a modulus-matched buffer layer between the polymer film and the substrate. A non-monotonic rheological gradient in the polymer films leads to the distribution of contact pressures between two asymptotic scenarios: (i) a compliant surface with a rigid sub-surface and (ii) a rigid surface with a compliant sub-surface.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Chemical Engineering, University of Washington, 98195, Box 351750, Seattle, WA, USA

    S. Sills & R. M. Overney

  2. IBM Research, Zurich Research Laboratories, Saeumerstrasse 4, CH-8803, Rüschlikon, Switzerland

    B. Gotsmann

  3. IBM Research, Almaden Research Center, 650 Harry Rd, San Jose, CA, 95120, USA

    J. Frommer

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  3. B. Gotsmann
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  4. J. Frommer
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Sills, S., Overney, R.M., Gotsmann, B. et al. Strain shielding and confined plasticity in thin polymer films: Impacts on thermomechanical data storage. Tribol Lett 19, 9–15 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11249-004-4260-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11249-004-4260-3

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