Improved electro-mechanical performance of gold films on polyimide without adhesion layers

Barbara Putz; Rachel L Schoeppner; Oleksandr Glushko; David F Bahr; Megan J Cordill

doi:10.1016/j.scriptamat.2015.02.005

Improved electro-mechanical performance of gold films on polyimide without adhesion layers

Scr Mater. 2015 Jun:102:23-26. doi: 10.1016/j.scriptamat.2015.02.005.

Authors

Barbara Putz¹, Rachel L Schoeppner², Oleksandr Glushko³, David F Bahr⁴, Megan J Cordill³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Materials Physics, Montanuniversität Leoben, Jahnstrasse 12, Leoben 8700, Austria ; Erich Schmid Institute of Materials Science, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Jahnstrasse 12, Leoben 8700, Austria.
² School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, United States.
³ Erich Schmid Institute of Materials Science, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Jahnstrasse 12, Leoben 8700, Austria.
⁴ School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, United States ; School of Materials Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, United States.

Abstract

Thin metal films on polymer substrates are of interest for flexible electronic applications and often utilize a thin interlayer to improve adhesion of metal films on flexible substrates. This work investigates the effect of a 10 nm Cr interlayer on the electro-mechanical properties of 50 nm Au films on polyimide substrates. Ex situ and in situ fragmentation experiments reveal the Cr interlayer causes brittle electro-mechanical behaviour, and thin Au films without an interlayer can support strains up to 15% without significantly degrading electrical conductivity.

Keywords: Electrical resistivity; Fracture; Fragmentation; Mechanical properties; Thin films.