Low cost technique for measuring in situ strain of nanostructures

A novel, inexpensive device for measuring the strain of thin films during the deposition process is described. The measurement of the electrical resistance of the commercial strain gauge provides the strain values from which the stress of the film/substrate can be derived. Metallic thin films have been investigated over temperatures ranging from 22 to 100 °C. Plotting residual strain after cooling, it was possible to obtain the thermal strain component and its subtraction it was possible determine the intrinsic component strain. erved a generic stress evolution from compressive to tensile, then back to compressive stress as the film thickened, in silver and copper layers. rformance of the measuring system are presented and discussed. Advantages and limitations of usage of the system are given as a conclusion.