Nanoindentation of Thin Films: Advantages of CSM

Nanoindentation testing with continuous stiffness measurement (CSM) provides a rapid, local method for investigating the mechanical behavior of thin films.

Thin films are one of the most widely used classes of nanomaterials with applications in semiconductors, optics, flexible electronics, and functionalized surfaces for architectural glass – where a manufacturer may regularly deposit films with of only a few nanometers in thickness over square kilometers of area! To ensure quality over large areas, testing needs to be rapid and accurate. In this application note, nanoindentation measurements are successfully demonstrated on two different thin films with thicknesses of 100 and 550 nm.