ASTM Special Technical Publication, 2001. — 333 p.
Films or layers that are applied to substrates are frequently used for electronic, decorative, barrier, and wear applications. In addition, photolithography used by the microelectronics industry has led to the development of micron-scale mechanical components made from thin films. The class of structural materials that are manufactured as films is referred to as "structural films." The mechanical properties of thin films have been recognized as an important part of the performance of materials for over a century. However, the advent of microelectromechanical systems and other applications of structural films has led to a renewed interest in both the measurement and understanding of the mechanical behavior of thin films. The papers from this symposium are distributed among four major areas of structural films characterization. Presented by an international group of experts from six countries, this symposium is one of the most complete assemblies of papers on the characterization of the mechanical properties of structural films available to date. The symposium begins with sessions on elastic behavior, residual stress, and fracture and fatigue. The remaining sessions are dedicated to tensile testing and thermomechanical, wear, and radiation damage. In the rapidly developing field of structural films, this event is a milestone in the engineering of these materials systems and their characterization.
