Brittle film-induced cracking of ductile substrates

Abstract Film and substrate mechanical integrity is essential for the whole system’s performance. In the present study, cracking of brass ductile substrate induced by brittle TiN film fracture was observed. Counter-intuitively, instead of protecting the ductile substrate, a brittle film can cause its premature fracture, as demonstrated here experimentally. Brittle film fracture could induce cracking of ductile substrate at considerably low strain level. Analytical calculation based on energy conservation during crack propagation is presented to explain this phenomenon of film-induced cracking. It is shown that crack depth penetrated into the substrate is a function of both crack velocity and the number of dislocations emitted from the crack tip. Relatively thick brittle films and fast propagating cracks favor fracture of the ductile substrates. The critical crack velocity, which can induce the cracking of brass substrate, is 61 m/s. The presence of brittle film could not only prevent dislocations escaping from the surface of the crystal and inhibit dislocations emitting from surface dislocation sources, but also initiate a channel crack with high velocity due to brittle fracture. Both of them contribute to crack propagation in soft brass substrate. This study provides an alternative view to the notion that a brittle film can protect the ductile substrate from damage.