Electrolytic hydrogenation technique: New approach for the modification of Ti-film mechanical properties and MEMS applications

This study reports a novel low temperature electrolytic hydrogenation technique to modify mechanical properties of metal films. To demonstrate the feasibility of this approach, various current densities and cathodic charging periods of electrolytic hydrogenation processes were implemented to modify the mechanical properties of Ti-film. Preliminary results demonstrate the feasibility of modulating the Young´s modulus, residual stress, and hardness, of Ti-film. Note: the electrolytic hydrogenation technique can be applied for other metal films. Since electrolytic hydrogenation process is simple and low temperature, it is a promising approach to modulate mechanical characteristics of MEMS structures.