Measurement of adherence of residually stressed thin films by indentation. I. Mechanics of interface delamination

Abstract

A fracture analysis of indentation-induced delamination of thin films is presented. The analysis is based on a model system in which the section of film above the delaminating crack is treated as a rigidly clamped disc, and the crack extension force is derived from changes in strain energy of the system as the crack extends. Residual deposition stresses influence the cracking response by inducing buckling of the film above the crack and by providing an additional crack driving force once buckling occurs. A relation for the equilibrium crack length is derived in terms of the indenter load and geometry, the film thickness and mechanical properties, the residual stress level, and the fracture toughness of the interface. The analysis provides a basis for using controlled indentation cracking as a quantitative measure of interface toughness and for evaluating contact-induced damage in thin films.