Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t8hqh Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-29T07:25:17.833Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Quantitative Measurement of Interface Fracture Energy in Multi-Layer Thin Film Structures

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 February 2011

Qing Ma
Affiliation:
Intel Corporation, Santa Clara, CA 95054
Harry Fujimoto
Affiliation:
Intel Corporation, Santa Clara, CA 95054
Paul Flinn
Affiliation:
Intel Corporation, Santa Clara, CA 95054
Vivek Jain
Affiliation:
Intel Corporation, Santa Clara, CA 95054
Farshid Adibi-Rizi
Affiliation:
Intel Corporation, Santa Clara, CA 95054
Farhad Moghadam
Affiliation:
Intel Corporation, Santa Clara, CA 95054
Reinhold H. Dauskardt
Affiliation:
Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305
Get access

Abstract

Interfacial debonding of multi-layer thin film systems can severely affect the reliability of devices. To quantitatively evaluate the interface adhesion strength, a sandwich structure four-point bending technique was developed. In the sandwich structure samples, the thin film structure of interest was diffusion bonded between two silicon substrates. A fourpoint bending method was applied to propagate a crack along the interface of interest. Two thin film systems with nominally the same structure, but processed under different conditions, were measured for their SiO2/TiN interface fracture energies. Results showed that the interface fracture energy of one system was about 50% larger than that of the other system. Cross-section TEM observations revealed that the stronger interface was also significantly rougher.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1995

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1 Hutchinson, J.W. and Suo, Z.,“Mixed Mode Cracking in Layered Materials” Adv. Appl. Mech., 29, 63191, 1992.Google Scholar
2 Evans, A.G., Rühle, M., Dalgleish, B.J., and Charalambides, P.G.,“The Fracture Energy of Bimaterial Interfaces” Met. Trans., 21A, 24192429, 1990.Google Scholar
3 Chalker, P.R., Bull, S.J., and Rickerby, D.S.,“A Review of the Methods for the Evaluation of Coating-Substrate Adhesion” Mat. Sci. Engr., A140, 583592, 1991.Google Scholar
4 Suo, Z. and Hutchinson, J.W.,“Sandwich Test Specimens for Measuring Interface Crack Toughness” Mat. Sci. Eng., A107., 135143, 1989.Google Scholar
5 Charalambides, P.G., Lund, J., Evans, A.G. and McMeeking, R.M.,“A Test Specimen for Determining the Fracture Resistance of Bimaterial Interfaces” J. Appl. Mech., 111, 7782, 1989.Google Scholar
6 Cannon, R.M., Dalgleish, B.J., Dauskardt, R.H., Fisher, R.M., Oh, T.S., and Ritchie, R.O., “Ceramic-Metal Interfaces: Monotonic and Cyclic Fracture Resistance” pp. 459482, in Fatigue of Advanced Materials Edited by Ritchie, R.O., Dauskardt, R.H., and Cox, B.N., MCEP Publishing Ltd., Edgbaston, U.K. 1991.Google Scholar
7 He, M.Y., Bartlett, A., Evans, A.G., and Hutchinson, J.W.,“Kinking of a Crack out of an Interface: Role of In-Plane Stress” J. Am. Ceram. Soc., 74, 767–71, 1991.Google Scholar