Finite element analysis of stress in contacting zone of film and substrate

Based on a simplified 2D model and finite element analysis (FEA), the effects of the deposition temperature, the film thickness and the surface roughness of the substrate (Ras) on the value and distribution of the first principal stress in a film–substrate system were studied. The FEA results showed that the first principal stress increases with increasing deposition temperature. When the surface roughness of substrate increased, the first principal stress increases at a slowing-down rate in film and increases at an accelerated rate in substrate. With the increasing film thickness, the first principal stress decreases slowly in the film and increases rapidly in the substrate. The increased surface roughness of substrate resulted in inhomogeneous distribution of the first principal in the film–substrate system.