Thin Film Materials Stress, Defect Formation and Surface Evolution

Thin film mechanical behavior and stress presents a technological challenge for materials scientists, physicists and engineers. This book provides a comprehensive coverage of the major issues and topics dealing with stress, defect formation, surface evolution and allied effects in thin film materials. Physical phenomena are examined from the continuum down to the sub-microscopic length scales, with the connections between the structure of the material and its behavior described. Theoretical concepts are underpinned by discussions on experimental methodology and observations. Fundamental scientific concepts are embedded through sample calculations, a broad range of case studies with practical applications, thorough referencing, and end of chapter problems. With solutions to problems available on-line, this book will be essential for graduate courses on thin films and the classic reference for researchers in the field.

1. Introduction and overview; 2. Film stress and substrate curvature; 3. Stress in anisotropic and patterned films; 4. Delamination and fracture; 5. Film buckling, bulging and peeling; 6. Dislocation formation in epitaxial systems; 7. Dislocation interactions and strain relaxation; 8. Equilibrium and stability of surfaces; 9. The role of stress in mass transport.

Thin film mechanical behavior and stress presents a technological challenge for materials scientists, physicists and engineers. Describing fundamental concepts with practical case studies, highly illustrated, thorough referencing and containing numerous homework problems, this book will be essential for graduate courses on thin films and the classic reference for researchers.

L. Ben Freund is the Henry Ledyard Goddard University Professor in the Division of Engineering at Brown University.
Subra Suresh is the Ford Professor of Engineering and Head of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, and Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology.