Abstract:
Micro-hardness and scratch adhesion testing are the most commonly used techniques for assessing the mechanical properties of thin films. Both of these testing methods utilize single-point contact and induce plastic deformation in the substrate and film. However, the influence of adhesion on the measured hardness has been seldom reported so far. In our experiments, diamond-like carbon (DLC) and silicon carbide (SiC) films deposited on silicon and nickel-based alloy substrates by pulsed laser ablation were indented and scratched by a Vickers micro-hardness tester and a diamond-cutter, respectively. It was found that the composite hardness decreased more rapidly for poor adhesion when increasing the indentation load. The result was explained by the elastic-plastic deformation mode of indentation and helped us to understand the physical meaning of one parameter commonly introduced in the models used to separate film hardness from the composite hardness.
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Received 30 June 1998
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Hou, Q., Gao, J. & Li, S. Adhesion and its influence on micro-hardness of DLC and SiC films. Eur. Phys. J. B 8, 493–496 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1007/s100510050716
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s100510050716