Adhesion energies of Cr thin films on polyimide determined from buckling: Experiment and model

Abstract For the realization of flexible electronic devices, the metal–polymer interfaces upon which they are based need to be optimized. These interfaces are prone to fracture in such systems and hence form a weak point. In order to quantify the interfacial adhesion, novel mechanical tests and modeling approaches are required. In this study, a tensile testing approach that induces buckling of films by lateral contraction of the substrate is employed to cause delamination of the film. Based on a newly developed energy balance model, the adhesion energy of Cr films on polyimide substrates is determined by measuring the buckle geometry induced by the tensile test. The obtained minimum values for the adhesion energy (about 4.5 J m−2) of 50–190 nm thick films compare well to those found in the literature for metal films on polymer substrates.