Fatigue Properties of Thin Metal Films
Summary
Thin metal films, typically ranging from a few nanometres to tens of micrometres in thickness, serve as essential components in microelectronics, flexible devices and microelectromechanical systems. When subjected to repetitive or cyclic loading—whether mechanical, thermal or combined—these films accumulate damage that can culminate in crack initiation, propagation and eventual failure. Key factors governing fatigue behaviour include film microstructure, grain size distribution, texture and the characteristics of interfaces with substrates. Dislocation motion, grain boundary decohesion and microvoid coalescence emerge as principal mechanisms of damage evolution, often amplified by thermal stresses arising from coefficient‐of‐thermal‐expansion mismatches. Recent advances in high‐resolution imaging and in situ testing have elucidated how local strain concentrations at high‐angle grain boundaries, coherent twin boundaries and notches govern the onset of cyclic degradation. Tailoring deposition parameters, controlling grain morphology and engineering interface adhesion are central strategies for extending fatigue life in demanding applications.
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Fatigue Properties of Thin Metal Films publication trend
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Technical terms
Fatigue: Progressive structural damage under repeated cyclic loading.
Thin film: A layer of material with thickness between nanometres and micrometres.
Grain boundary: Interface separating regions of different crystallographic orientation.
Dislocation: Line defect in a crystal lattice that mediates plastic deformation.
Bulge testing: A method in which a freestanding film is deformed by pressure to measure mechanical response under cyclic bulging.
References
- Intragranular thermal fatigue of Cu thin films: Near-grain boundary hardening, strain localization and voiding. Acta Materialia (2023).
- Observing High‐Cycle Fatigue Damage in Freestanding Gold Thin Films with Bulge Testing and Intermittent Transmission Electron Microscopy Imaging. Advanced Engineering Materials (2024).
- Initiation of fatigue damage in ultrafine grained metal films. Acta Materialia (2021).
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