Mixed-Mode Fracture behaviour of Si-C-N coatings

Micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) technology has made it possible for the semiconductor industry to construct systems and devices on silicon substrates. Nanocomposite Si-C-N coatings must have reliable characteristics for MEMS as well as in the form of protective coatings for heavy-duty industries like aerospace, automobiles, reactors, etc. Vickers indentation was used to study the fracture response of Si-C-N coatings that were deposited on silicon substrates. Images of the fractured regions which consisted of different types of cracks were analyzed and used for qualitative fracture analysis. The Drucker-Prager (DP) model and subsurface layer distributions were used to evaluate the fractured zones. Microscopic evaluation and supporting image analysis were used to study the growth nature of the coatings.