On the influence of titanium alloy composition and layer thickness on the mechanical properties of a polyimide substrate

Metal-polymer bilayers and multilayers are being increasingly used in the microelectronics industry. In many cases, the reliability of the device or the package is determined by the mechanical behavior of these composite layers. Finite element analyses are being widely used to model these systems. An accurate experimental understanding of the mechanical behavior of these systems would further enhance the usefulness of such analyses. The present study focuses on the mechanical behavior of composite bilayers consisting of polyimide and sputtered Ti and Ti alloy thin films. Tensile tests and stretch-deformation tests have been performed on bilayers consisting of a polyimide substrate sputter-coated individually with a 50 nm and a 500 nm Ti layer, a 500 nm Ti-Cu layer, and a 500 nm Ti-Ni layer. Tensile moduli, stresses for 0.2%, 2% and 15% offset strains, and strains to failure have been obtained and compared. These values are discussed with reference to the known mechanical properties of the individual layers in the composite material.