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Novel Microtensile Method for Monotonic and Cyclic Testing of Freestanding Copper Thin Films

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This paper presents the results of new microtensile tests conducted to investigate the mechanical properties of submicron-thick freestanding copper films. The method, used in this study, allows the observation of materials response under uniaxial tensile loads with measurements of stress at strain rates up to 5.5 × 10−4/s. It also facilitates tension–tension fatigue experiments under a variety of mean stress conditions at cyclic loading frequencies to 20 Hz. The sample processes involve fabrication of a supporting frame with springs and alignment beams all made of electroplated nickel. Electroplating took place on top of a previously deposited sample rather than creating a structure by subtractive fabrication. Tensile sample loading is applied using a piezoelectric actuator. Load was measured using a capacitance gap sensor with a novel mechanical coupling to the sample. Tension–tension fatigue experiments were carried out with feedback to give load control. Fatigue tests were conducted on sputter-deposited 500 and 900 nm copper films with grain sizes ∼50 nm. Fatigue life reached 105 cycles at low mean load, which decreased with an increase in the mean load. The results indicate decreasing plasticity with increasing mean load.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to Professor Walter L. Brown of Lehigh University for his kind advice. This work was supported by Taiwan National Science Council; grant number NSC94-2218-E-005-019 and also supported in part by the Ministry of Education, Taiwan under the ATU plan.

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  1. Institute of Precision Engineering, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, 402, Taiwan, Republic of China

    M.-T. Lin (SEM Member), C.-J. Tong & K.-S. Shiu

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Lin, MT., Tong, CJ. & Shiu, KS. Novel Microtensile Method for Monotonic and Cyclic Testing of Freestanding Copper Thin Films. Exp Mech 50, 55–64 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11340-009-9221-1

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