Cracking effects in squashable and stretchable thin metal films on PDMS for flexible microsystems and electronics.

ABSTRACT: Here, we study cracking of nanometre and sub-nanometre-thick metal lines (titanium, nickel, chromium, and gold) evaporated onto commercial polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) substrates. Mechanical and electromechanical testing reveals potentially technologically useful effects by harnessing cracking. When the thin film metal lines are subjected to uniaxial longitudinal stretching, strain-induced cracks develop in the film. The regularity of the cracking is seen to depend on the applied longitudinal strain and film thickness-the findings suggest ordering and the possibility of creating metal mesas on flexible substrates without the necessity of lithography and etching. When the metal lines are aligned transversally to the direction of the applied strain, a Poisson effect-induced electrical 'self-h

SUBMITTER: Baetens T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6015027 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature