Deformation measurement in Al thin films at elevated temperatures by digital image correlation with speckles prepared by femtosecond laser

Deformation measurement in thin films at elevated temperatures is critical for assessing the reliability and performance of microelectronic devices. Digital image correlation (DIC) is a full-field, noncontact deformation measurement technique. However, the traditional DIC approach requires spraying paints for speckles, which is not suitable for high-temperature applications. The aim of this work is to propose a fully customizable speckle preparation method by pulsed laser that can deliver ideal speckle pattern, good contrast and consistency and controllable damage to sample for deformation measurement at elevated temperatures by DIC. Al thin films deposited on Si substrates were used for speckle preparation by FLs at different powers (10 mW, 8 mW, 6 mW and 4 mW). Serial images of speckles were captured as the temperature increased from room temperature to 325 degrees C, followed by data analysis. A finite element model was built to evaluate the deviation of measured strains in Al thin film from ideal values. To evaluate the damage of laser to sample surface during speckle preparation, a two-temperature model (TTM) was used to evaluate the ideal ablation depth at different laser fluences. Scanning electron microscopy and white light interferometry were also used to examine the surface damage and depth of holes. Based on our findings, speckles prepared by laser irradiation at 8 mW have the best speckle quality and measurement accuracy. The depth of speckles increased linearly with increasing laser power, ranging from 11.8 to 32.9 nm. The ideal depth calculated by the TTM was slightly lower than the experimental results, which can be attributed to the parameters of the model deviating from the actual sample (such as the reflectance of Al). DIC with speckles prepared by an FL can provide good measurement accuracy at elevated temperatures while causing minimal damage to the sample.

Automated summary

This study proposes a method of speckle preparation using pulsed laser for deformation measurement in thin films at elevated temperatures. The method provides good measurement accuracy and minimal damage to the sample.