Design and Development of Novel Electroplating Spring Frame Mems Structure Specimens for the Microtensile Testing of Thin Film Materials

A novel design electroplating spring frame MEMS structure specimen is demonstrated here. The specimen can be fit into a specially designed microtensile apparatus which is capable of carrying out a series of tests on submicro scale freestanding thin films. Certain thin films applicable in MEMS were tested including sputtered Chrome, Nicole, Copper, Tantalum Nitride thin films. Metal specimens were fabricated by sputtering; for Tantalum Nitride film samples, Nitrogen gas was introduced into the chamber during sputtering Tantalum films on the silicon wafer. We found the modulus of Copper, Tantalum Nitride and 5% Au-Cr thin films thin films with thickness of 200 to 800nm at room temperature. The results demonstrated the yield stresses of metal films follow the trend of the Hall-Petch relation.