Mechanical properties of thin polysilicon films by means of probe microscopy

A new method for tensile testing of thin films is being developed. An electrostatic grip apparatus was designed and implemented to measure the elastic and ultimate tensile properties (Young's modulus, Poisson's ratio and tensile strength) of surface micromachined polysilicon specimens. The tensile specimens are "dog-bone" shaped ending in a large "paddle" for electrostatic gripping. The test section of the specimens is 400 mu m long and with 2 mu m x 50 mu m cross section. The method employs Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) or Scanning Tunneling Microscope (STM) acquired surface topologies of deforming specimens to determine (fields of) strains. By way of the method of Digital Image Correlation (DIC), the natural surface roughness features are used as distributed markers. The effect of markers artificially deposited on the surface is examined computationally. Also the significance of other parameters on property measurements, such as surface roughness, has been examined computationally. Initial results obtained using the tensile test apparatus are presented.