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Electrical technique for monitoring crack growth in thin-film fracture mechanics specimens

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 November 2004

Eric P. Guyer  and
Reinhold H. Dauskardt
Eric P. Guyer
Affiliation:
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305
Reinhold H. Dauskardt*
Affiliation:
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305
*
a) Address all correspondence to this author. e-mail: dauskardt@stanford.edu
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Abstract

An accurate and reliable electrical technique for continuous monitoring of crack growth in fracture specimens containing technologically relevant thin-film device structures has been developed. Both adhesive and cohesive crack growth measurements are reported using a SiO2 passivation layer and a conducting titanium film deposited on the side face of fracture specimens. Crack velocity measurements approaching 10−12 m/s were achieved, representing nearly an order of magnitude improvement over commonly used compliance-based techniques. The technique may be particularly useful for elucidating near threshold crack velocity behavior, which is important for thin-film reliability.

Keywords

FractureLayeredMicroelectronics
Type
Rapid Communications
Information
Journal of Materials Research , Volume 19 , Issue 11 , November 2004 , pp. 3139 - 3144
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2004

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References

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