Young’s modulus measurements of thin films using micromechanics

Electrostatically deflectable cantilever beams (1000–9000 Å thick, 120–8.3 μm long) have been fabricated from a number of thin insulating films prepared by a variety of deposition methods. Measurements of the transverse mechanical resonant frequencies of these beams have been used to calculate Young’s modulus of the insulating thin films. This new technique is relatively simple and accurate and is applicable to a wide range of materials and deposition procedures.