Abstract
Nanoindentation experiments have been performed to characterize the mechanical properties of very thin amorphous carbon films. Amorphous carbon films on the order of 10 nm or less are required on magnetic thin-film discs to maintain the mechanical integrity of the substrate. In this study, three films in the 10 nm to 80 nm thickness range were studied. The films were sputtered onto an electroless nickel substrate. The primary objective was to use nanoindentation to reliably characterize the elastic modulus and hardness of these very thin films. By making very shallow indents and by using appropriate film-substrate deconvolution techniques, film moduli and hardness in the 75-85 GPa range and 10-11 GPa range were measured, respectively. Finally, shear stress for nucleation of yielding in the substrate as well as the improved elastic recovery afforded by the amorphous carbon overcoats are discussed.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 293-298 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Materials Research Society Symposium - Proceedings |
| Volume | 522 |
| State | Published - Dec 1 1998 |
| Event | Proceedings of the 1998 MRS Spring Symposium - San Francisco, CA, USA Duration: Apr 13 1998 → Apr 15 1998 |