A unique technique to perform quantitative in situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) fatigue testing on ultrathin films and nanomaterials is demonstrated. The relies a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device actuate nanospecimen measure its mechanical response. Compared previously demonstrated MEMS-based TEM techniques, the takes advantage of two identical capacitive sensors each side specimen electronically elongation (with nm resolution) applied force μN resolution). Monotonic...

Stretchable optoelectronics made of elastomeric semiconductors could enable the integration intelligent systems with soft materials, such as those biological world. Organic and photodiodes have been engineered to be elastomeric; however, for photodetector applications, it remains a challenge identify an bulk heterojunction (e-BHJ) photoactive layer that combines low Young’s modulus high strain at break yields organic electronic noise values performance. Here, blend elastomer, donor-like...

Abstract Although bulk silicon is not susceptible to fatigue, micron‐scale is. Several mechanisms have been proposed explain this surprising behavior although the issue remains contentious. Here we review published fatigue results for thin films and find that in general they display similar trends, lower cyclic stresses result larger number of cycles failure stress‐lifetime data. We further show one two classes invariably phenomenon. The first class attributes a surface effect caused by...

The importance of service environment to the fatigue resistance n/sup +/-type, 10 /spl mu/m thick, deep-reactive ion-etched (DRIE) silicon structural films used in microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) was characterized by testing electrostatically actuated resonators (natural frequency, f/sub 0/, sim/40 kHz) controlled atmospheres. Stress-life (S-N) tests conducted 30/spl deg/C, 50% relative humidity (R.H.) air demonstrated susceptibility films. Further characterization medium vacuum and...

Nanostructured metals are a promising class of radiation-tolerant materials. A large volume fraction grain boundaries (GBs) can provide plenty sinks for radiation damage, and understanding the underlying healing mechanisms is key to developing more effective tolerant Here, we observe damage absorption by stress-assisted GB migration in ultrafine-grained Au thin films using quantitative situ transmission electron microscopy nanomechanical testing technique. We show that rate significantly...

This letter presents a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) material testing setup that relies on electronic measurements of nanospecimen elongation. Compared to previously demonstrated MEMS rely high magnification images measure elongation, this is more versatile, allowing both in situ and ex nanomaterials with accuracy precision. We describe characterize the device illustrate its mode operation successful uniaxial tensile test nanocrystalline nickel nanobeam. The combination nanomechanical...

A singular critical onset strain value has been used to characterize the limits of barrier films in flexible electronics. However, such metrics do not account for time-dependent or environmentally assisted cracking, which can be determining overall reliability these thin-film coatings. In this work, channel crack growth behavior silicon nitride on poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) substrates is investigated dry and humid environments by tensile tests with situ optical microscopy numerical...

Nanometer-scale reaction layers have a profound impact on the fracture and fatigue resistance of Si films used in microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). This letter presents experimental evidence that thick (i.e., greater than 10nm) oxides can form at room temperature during manufacturing due to galvanic effect between n+-type Au. The growth such concentrated HF solutions are usually associated with oxide dissolution be predicted from measured current density–voltage (i–V) behavior geometry...

This Letter presents a quantitative in situ scanning electron microscope (SEM) nanoscale high and very cycle fatigue (HCF/VHCF) investigation of Ni microbeams under bending, using MEMS microresonator as an integrated testing machine. The novel technique highlights ultraslow crack growth (average values down to ∼10–14 m/cycle) that has heretofore not been reported indicates discontinuous process; it also reveals strong environmental effects on lives are 3 orders magnitude longer vacuum than...

This study investigates the separate influence of stress, temperature, and relative humidity (RH) on fatigue behavior 10-μm-thick, monocrystalline silicon (Si) films at 40 kHz, under fully reversed loading. The rates are most sensitive to with four orders magnitude decrease from 3.2 1.5–2 GPa, confirming a size effect associated Si bending load. also much more RH than temperature or partial pressure water, indicating that effective environmental parameter is adsorbed water layer....

A micrometer-scale ultrasonic fatigue characterization technique is introduced to investigate the degradation properties of LIGA Ni structural films in very high cycle regime. Kilohertz microresonators fabricated with MetalMUMPs process were driven at resonance (~ 8 kHz) controlled environments (30 <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">°</sup> C , 50% relative humidity (RH); 80 C, 5% RH; and 90% RH) perform tests on 20-μm -thick...

This study unveils the stress relaxation transient deformation mechanisms in 100 nm-thick, nanocrystalline Au films thanks to a robust quantitative situ TEM MEMS nanomechanical testing approach quantify and perform observations of time-dependent ultrathin films. The is characterized by decrease plastic strain rate more than one order magnitude over first ∼30 minutes (from 10−4 less 10−5 s−1). For longer experiments, decreases down 10−7 s−1 after several hours. power-law exponent n, relating...