IUVSTA 15th International Vacuum Congress (IVC-15), AVS 48th International Symposium (AVS-48), 11th International Conference on Solid Surfaces (ICSS-11)
    Applied Surface Analysis Monday Sessions
       Session AS-MoP

Paper AS-MoP14
Non-destructive Testing of Mechanical Properties of Thin Films below 100 nm with Laser-acoustic Waves

Monday, October 29, 2001, 5:30 pm, Room 134/135

Session: Student Poster Competition/Aspects of Applied Surface Analysis I Poster Session
Presenter: D. Schneider, Fraunhofer Institute for Materials and Beam Technology
Authors: T. Schuelke, Fraunhofer Institute for Materials and Beam Technology
D. Schneider, Fraunhofer Institute for Materials and Beam Technology
B. Schultrich, Fraunhofer Institute for Materials and Beam Technology
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The non-destructive testing of hard-coatings is highly desirable. The available test methods are permanently confronted with manifold new demands of the surface engineering arising from reducing film thickness, more complicated film composition and extreme mechanical requirements as high hardness, stiffness and adhesion. The laser-acoustic technique based on surface acoustic waves is a relatively new surface test method, but its capability for testing thin and hard coatings has already been demonstrated. The laser-acoustic method yields the Young's modulus revealing the effect of varying bonding structure of the material, porosity and other micro-defects, including insufficient adhesion. The method has been adapted to the requirements of testing ultra-thin films. The special methodical aspects of testing these films are presented, such as the effect of measuring accuracy, bandwidth and sample dimension.