The nanoindentation applied to predict the interface delamination for the C/amorphous Si composite film

Abstract

In the present study, the indentation depth corresponding to the pop-in arising in the loading process is found to be quite close to the C/amorphous Si composite film thickness, regardless of the C-film thickness. This load-depth behavior gives a clue that the occurrence of pop-in is perhaps related to the buckling of the composite film, which had already delaminated from the silicon substrate. This indentation depth of buckling predicted by the present model is quite close to the pop-in depth obtained from experimental results, regardless of the change in the C-film thickness. This characteristic reveals that the present model is developed successfully to predict the pop-in depth of a specimen, and the pop-in is indeed created due to the buckling of the composite film under a compression stress. © 2009 American Institute of Physics.