About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
MS&T26: Materials Science & Technology
|
| Symposium
|
Grain Boundaries, Interfaces, and Surfaces: Fundamental Structure-Property-Performance Relationships
|
| Presentation Title |
Processing-Controlled Grain Size Effects on Creep In
nanocrystalline Au Thin Films |
| Author(s) |
Xipeng Li, Justin Pan, Maarten de Boer |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Xipeng Li |
| Abstract Scope |
Nanocrystalline metallic thin films often operate under sustained stress at temperatures where grain boundaries and free surfaces govern deformation, stress relaxation, and morphological stability. However, creep measurements on freestanding films remain difficult because conventional methods are poorly matched to micron-scale specimens. Here, we use a MEMS-based self-actuating tensile platform to perform in situ creep measurements on nanocrystalline Au thin films while testing multiple specimens in parallel. To compare deposition-controlled microstructures while keeping the annealing condition fixed, films deposited by sputtering and electron-beam physical vapor deposition were annealed under the same 180 °C condition, producing distinct grain sizes without changing the thermal history. The resulting creep responses are compared to determine how deposition-controlled grain size influences time-dependent strain, stress relaxation, and creep mechanisms. This approach links thin-film creep behavior to grain-boundary-mediated deformation and provides guidance for designing stable nanocrystalline metal films for MEMS and microelectronic applications. |