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Effect of Carbon on the Adhesion of Aluminum Films to Sapphire Substrates
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 10 February 2011
Abstract
The adhesion of aluminum (Al) films onto sapphire substrates in the presence of controlled contaminants is being investigated. In this study, adhesion strength is evaluated by continuous nanoindentation tests to induce delamination of the Al film from the sapphire substrate. Typically it is difficult to increase the elastic strain energy stored in the film to levels sufficient to promote indentation delaminated blistering in thin ductile films on hard substrates. One method that appears promising is the use of highly stressed overlayers deposited over the Al. An overlayer of sputtered tantalum (Ta) was deposited on 500 rn thick Al films with and without 10 nm of sputtered carbon on the sapphire surface. With Ta overlayers, continuous nanoindentation techniques induced larger diameter delamination blisters in the specimens with carbon, than in the specimens without carbon, indicating a lower resistance to fracture or interfacial strength.
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- Copyright © Materials Research Society 1998
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