Applied and Integrated Photonics

Mechanical properties and surface topography

• Characterization of thin films, nanostructures and coatings using atomic force microscopy and electron microscopy.
• Determination of mechanical properties of thin films and bulk materials (e.g. hardness, elastic modulus) using nanoindentation.
• Study of the relationship between surface topography and mechanical response at the nano-/microscale.
• Scratch testing for the evaluation of thin film adhesion.
• Mechanical testing of composites with focus on interfacial adhesion and shear strength.
• Investigation of internal stresses and their influence on the mechanical behavior of thin films.
• Mechanical characterization of soft materials such as hydrogels.
• Study of the mechanical behavior of biological samples, including microcompression and surface topography of individual bacterial cells.

Typical indentation curves of a-CSi:H thin films deposited at different effective power.