Title: Fracture toughness characterisation of electronic materials and interfaces

Authors: H. Hosokawa, A.V. Desai, M.A. Haque

Addresses: Materials Research Institute for Sustainable Development National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology 2266-98 Shimo-Shidami, Moriyama-ku Nagoya 463-8560, Japan. ' The Pennsylvania State University 317A Leonhard Building, University Park Pennsylvania 16802, USA. ' Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering The Pennsylvania State University 317A Leonhard Building, University Park Pennsylvania 16802, USA

Abstract: We present a technique for measuring the fracture toughness of nanoscale specimens of electronic materials and interfaces, in-situ inside electron microscopes. The technique employs a custom micro-machined mechanical testing device on which an edge-cracked tension specimen is integrated. The specimen is fabricated using a focused ion beam, which allows for testing of both single phase and interfacial materials, and virtually eliminates any restrictions on the type of materials that can be tested. We demonstrate the technique with single crystal 6H silicon carbide specimens, which are 200–500nm thick, 2–5µm wide and approximately 10µm long. The measured values of Young|s modulus and fracture toughness are 590GPa and 4.82MPa-m^1/2 respectively, which compare favourably to the experimental results on bulk and thin film silicon carbide in literature.

Keywords: thin films; fracture toughness; microelectromechanical systems; MEMS; mechanical testing; silicon carbide; nanomaterials; electronic materials; micromachining; interfaces.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMSI.2008.018897

International Journal of Materials and Structural Integrity, 2008 Vol.2 No.1/2, pp.2 - 10

Published online: 21 Jun 2008 *

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