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Young's modulus of electroplated Ni thin film for MEMS applications

Young's modulus of electroplated Ni thin film for MEMS applications
Young's modulus of electroplated Ni thin film for MEMS applications
The Young's modulus of an electroplated nickel (Ni) thin film suitable for microelectromechanical applications has been investigated as a function of process variables: the plating temperature and current density. It was found that the Young's modulus is approximately 205 GPa at plating temperatures less than 60 °C, close to that of bulk Ni, but drastically drops to approximately 100 GPa at 80 °C. The inclusion of ammonium and sulphate ions by hydrolysis is believed to be responsible for the sharp drop. The Young's modulus of 205 GPa is for a Ni film plated at J=2 mA/cm2 and it decreases to 85 GPa as the plating current density is increased to 30 mA/cm2. The results imply that at low current density, the plating speed is slow and there is sufficient time for the as-plated Ni atoms to rearrange to form a dense coating. At high currents, the plating speed is high, and the limited mass transport of Ni ions leads to a less dense coating.
Young's modulus, electroplated Ni thin film, MEMS
0167-577X
2306-2309
Luo, J.K.
8185819a-b66e-4f4c-bc66-62ad6b0f98e8
Flewitt, A.J.
54a7d844-ba97-4c7e-a5ad-81d2b67382fb
Spearing, S.M.
9e56a7b3-e0e8-47b1-a6b4-db676ed3c17a
Fleck, N.A.
0f3592b8-1ecf-4d56-b4cb-d8749bc253b0
Milne, W.I.
3061f67c-bf3b-48fa-a193-8ca53fec82f3
Luo, J.K.
8185819a-b66e-4f4c-bc66-62ad6b0f98e8
Flewitt, A.J.
54a7d844-ba97-4c7e-a5ad-81d2b67382fb
Spearing, S.M.
9e56a7b3-e0e8-47b1-a6b4-db676ed3c17a
Fleck, N.A.
0f3592b8-1ecf-4d56-b4cb-d8749bc253b0
Milne, W.I.
3061f67c-bf3b-48fa-a193-8ca53fec82f3

Luo, J.K., Flewitt, A.J., Spearing, S.M., Fleck, N.A. and Milne, W.I. (2004) Young's modulus of electroplated Ni thin film for MEMS applications. Materials Letters, 58 (17-18), 2306-2309. (doi:10.1016/j.matlet.2004.02.044).

Record type: Article

Abstract

The Young's modulus of an electroplated nickel (Ni) thin film suitable for microelectromechanical applications has been investigated as a function of process variables: the plating temperature and current density. It was found that the Young's modulus is approximately 205 GPa at plating temperatures less than 60 °C, close to that of bulk Ni, but drastically drops to approximately 100 GPa at 80 °C. The inclusion of ammonium and sulphate ions by hydrolysis is believed to be responsible for the sharp drop. The Young's modulus of 205 GPa is for a Ni film plated at J=2 mA/cm2 and it decreases to 85 GPa as the plating current density is increased to 30 mA/cm2. The results imply that at low current density, the plating speed is slow and there is sufficient time for the as-plated Ni atoms to rearrange to form a dense coating. At high currents, the plating speed is high, and the limited mass transport of Ni ions leads to a less dense coating.

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More information

Published date: 2004
Keywords: Young's modulus, electroplated Ni thin film, MEMS

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 22776
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/22776
ISSN: 0167-577X
PURE UUID: 037303c3-6c44-4b13-92df-a0a5353f2b75
ORCID for S.M. Spearing: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-3059-2014

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 10 Mar 2006
Last modified: 16 Mar 2024 03:37

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Contributors

Author: J.K. Luo
Author: A.J. Flewitt
Author: S.M. Spearing ORCID iD
Author: N.A. Fleck
Author: W.I. Milne

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