Time and temperature creep behaviour measurement of Al and Al-Mg alloy thin films using pressure bulge tests

Abstract

Metal thin films are often used as capacitance switches in Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS). But longterm reliability is always the question to be solved. If thin films have better mechanical properties, it can not only reduce the creep behavior, but also extend its lifetime. In this study, we use solid solution strengthening to improve the mechanism of the material, adding foreign atom Mg to Al thin films in order to increase the resistance to creep behavior, the more we add Mg, the more difficult for dislocation sliding, then the mechanism of the material become better. As the result, after adding Mg into Al, it can effectively reduce the creep behavior, so Al-Mg films are much better than pure Al films using in capacitance switches.