Neue Möglichkeiten zur Charakterisierung dünner Schichten mit Indentermethoden

Novel Possibilities for Thin Film Characterisation Using Indentation Methods A novel methodology for the evaluation of the response of coated substrates to mechanical contact is presented which is based on the combination of a new theoretical method and high‐accuracy indentation experiments using a spherical diamond indenter. The concept may be extended in many respects and will be illustrated here only with few special examples: Using low loads, i. e. staying completely in the elastic region, the elastic parameters of film and substrate can be measured with high accuracy. When the indentation experiments is extended until failure of the coating substrate compound, the full stress and strain fields in three dimensions in the very moment of failure can be calculated. The knowledge of those fields enables one to draw conclusions on the relevant mechanisms. Once the failure mode has been identified, layer systems with optimum resistance to that failure mechanism can be found by theoretical simulations.