Fracture Toughness Characterization of Thin Films Based on Finite Element Assisted Nanoindentation Technique

The material properties of thin films are of great importance for understanding the failure mechanisms of electronic devices. However, traditional test methods can not meet the requirements of characterizing thin films in micron scale, , especially with the development of higher integration of electronic packaging technology in 5G era. In this study, we provide a methodological and theoretical reference for characterizing the fracture toughness of thin films using nanoindentation technique and finite element (FE) modelling methodology. Nanoindentation technique was used to characterize the fracture toughness of the passivation layer films. The mechanical properties of the silicon nitride film were further investigated based on the FE model. The load displacement curve and cracks obtained from the simulation are in satisfactory agreement with measurements.