MicroTesting System for Thermal-Mechanical Properties and Interfacial Strength of Micron-Plus Scale Components in Infrared Devices

"MicroCoating Technologies, in collaboration with the Georgia Institute of Technology, proposes to develop a micro-thermal-mechanical testing system to characterize the structural integrity of components in infrared imaging detectors. Properties includingthin film elastic modulus and interfacial fracture toughness between the thin film and substrate will be measured with the proposed new micron scale testing system (MicroTester). In this MicroTester, loading is implemented on inch-scale specimens anddeformations are measured on the regions of interests (ROI) of a micron-plus scale, which ensures high precision in loading control and high accuracy in deformation measurement. Local deformation analysis on ROI is conducted with the application of theimage analysis program in microDAC, a deformation measurement method based on correlation image processing algorithm. The key feature of the MicroTester is that it enables direct observation and analysis at the evolutions of nano-scale irregular defects.This will facilitate the fundamental understanding of the mechanism of debonding, a major failure state of infrared detectors. With the introduction of Atomic Force Microscope to evaluate the vertical displacement, the MicroTester can be used to monitorthe defect evolution process from the top-view of the wafer, which makes it possible to evaluate the mechanical reliability of the infrared detectors.The Phase I research will demonstrate t