We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Technology

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What Is Thin Film Stress?

By Mal Baxter
Updated: May 17, 2024
Views: 8,369
Share

Thin film stress refers to an assortment of structural imperfections that result in the degradation or failure of microscopic layers of optical or conductive material. Any number of problems may occur when film is improperly produced or applied to a product. With layers sometimes only a few atoms thick, unplanned interactions between materials can have a pronounced effect on the performance of the film. In view of these many influences, several key types of thin film stress can occur. These include epitaxial stress, thermal stress, and growth stress, as well as other deformation processes.

The adoption of thin film technology challenges development of manufacturing and deposition processes to accommodate a wide assortment of products. Household and scientific technologies rely on thin film for a multitude of light wavelength applications, such as in the optical components in copiers, scanners, and thin film solar panels. Products can also benefit from thin film material enhancements, such as scratch or impact resistance. Thin film manipulates wavelength and conductance properties and expands the capabilities of numerous technologies. Its varied manufacturing and deposition challenges offer a moving target for innovation and refinement.

Thin film stress results from deposition issues, thermal processes, and laser technologies, among other causes. Generally, thin film is manufactured using methods that present unique characteristics, strengths, and shortcomings. Film can crack or void, and sometimes lifts from its substrate medium, while other processes might interfere with characteristics like resistance to moisture or oxidation.

Epitaxial thin film stress occurs when crystal lattices in a film line up perfectly against those in the substrate, or supporting material. A misfit stress results when the film and material become a single crystal. Thermal stress derives from temperature differences under the influence of heat expansion. This type of stress often occurs in equipment subject to temperature changes or extremes.

Growth thin film stress, otherwise known as intrinsic stress, malforms through inconsistencies during the deposition process. Stress typically arises when film thickness has been layered unevenly. Various states can occur through compression, tension, or relaxation differences in the coalescence of crystals.

Another type of thin film stress is known as surface stress. It occurs as a unit of force per unit length during deposition. This type stands in contrast with surface energy, which is the balance of temperature or chemical reaction on a unit area of surface. Grain boundaries can generate stress, since crystals exhibit limited flexibility in their interactions.

As a result of thin film stress, effects in general can alter the performance of thin film, deforming it inconsistently over its surface area. It's vital to understand and create desired stress variations within a thin film's given temperature or material properties. Such factors work together with other control processes, such as temperatures and gas flows, to create target accuracies in thin film production. Balancing these processes can minimize destructive interference and optimize the performance of this microscopic technology.

Share
WiseGeek is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.

Editors' Picks

Discussion Comments
Share
https://www.wisegeek.net/what-is-thin-film-stress.htm
Copy this link
WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.