Mechanical Properties of Thin Films Quantified via Instrumented Indentation

Metallic coatings are primarily designed to enhance properties have been ascertained via indentation, this method can also serve as a non-destructive quality surface properties such as corrosion resistance, thermal protection, and tribological behaviour of a particular control test during production. In the present work experimental and computational studies of microand component in service. However, the deposition of such coatings inherently modifies the microstructure of the nanoindentation on monolithic and coated metallic systems, including structural engineering alloys and coating, resulting in mechanical properties of the coating that may diVer significantly from those of the microelectronic thin films, are described. T he eVects of material anisotropy, crystallographic orientation, and starting material from which the coating was produced. In addition, residual stresses are often present in the film thickness on the indentation response are considered, and these are correlated with the mechanical coating, and are strongly dependent upon deposition method and coating thickness. T hese stresses can lead properties and residual stress state of the various to failure of the component owing to through-thickness systems. SE/392 cracking or interface delamination. T hus, it is clear that in order to maximise coating performance, the T he authors are in the L aboratory for Experimental mechanical properties and stress state of the coating and Computational Micromechanics, Massachusetts must be well characterised. Instrumented depth sensing Institute of T echnology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA. indentation provides a means of quantifying the Contribution to the 2000 Bodycote International Paper mechanical behaviour of the coated component on Competition. various size scales, depending on the maximum depth of the indentation. In addition, once mechanical © 2001 IoM Communications L td.