Fiducial marks as measures of thin film crack arrest toughness

Carbon fiducial marks are formed during thin film local delamination processes induced either by indentation, forming circular blisters, or by residual stress relief through telephone cord blister formations. Hydrocarbons are sucked into the crack tip during the delamination processes, outlining the crack tip opening angle, which can be used to back calculate thin film adhesion using elastic or plastic analyses presented in the paper.