Nano mechanics in multicomponent hard coatings for MEMS cantilevers

Ti-B-Si-C-B-N/Si coatings are VLSI compatible at a cheaper rate. These multi-component nanocomposite coating comprising of a mixture of different phases viz., TiN, TiB 2 , cBN, Ti-C, Si 3 N 4 , β-C 3 N 4 and different hybridized carbon grown over an amorphous phase has also been useful for MEMS as microgrippers dielectric barriers in VLSI fabrication and interconnects. The nature of crystallization which occurred on the surface of magnetron sputtered Ti-B-Si-C(N) and Si-C-N on silicon (100) substrates was studied using Transmission electron Microscopy and the complex crystalline configuration was attempted to analyze using image analysis and diffraction patterns. The standard deviations occurring in the nanoindentation P-h plots were put into effect to explain the small-scale fractural features during the indentation process. The electrical conduction associated with nanoindentation indenter tip with the diverse crystalline morphology of the magnetron deposited coatings which involves indenter sharpness and small-scale fracture as well has also been studied to the effect of its use for device fabrication.