The electrical and mechanical properties of Au-V and Au-V{sub 2}O{sub 5} thin films for wear-resistant RF MEMS switches
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 18015 (United States)
- Department of Physics, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200 (Thailand)
To explore alternatives to the use of pure Au in Ohmic contact RF microelectromechanical switches, we have measured changes in the electrical resistivity and nanoindentation hardness of a series of sputter deposited Au-V and Au-V{sub 2}O{sub 5} thin films. Increasing V content in the Au-V alloys increases resistivity and hardness, which is consistent with solid solution strengthening. In the Au-V{sub 2}O{sub 5} films, the increase in resistivity is greatly reduced and the hardness is further increased as expected for dispersion strengthening with V{sub 2}O{sub 5} particles. These two phenomena are explained in terms of solute and particle effects on electron scattering and bowing of dislocations, respectively.
- OSTI ID:
- 21137155
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 103, Issue 8; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.2902954; (c) 2008 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0021-8979
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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