Institude of Integrated Mircosystems Funded Project

Project Title:

Study of Strain-Gradient Elasticity and Plasticity

Principal Investigator:

Prof Tong-Yi Zhang, Department of Mechanical Engineering, HKUST

Project Duration:

Jul 1, 2002 to Jun 30, 2004

Project Summary:

Thin films on substrates are fundamental elements for Micro/Nano-systems and are of special interest to academia and industries. Characterization of mechanical properties of thin films has become a very active area of research . This project is to investigate the strain-gradient effects in plastic bending of micro beams by the micro bridge test and the microcantilver test and to develop a strain-gradient model for plastic bending of micro beams. On the other hand, this project will work on the research work of Au/Pd/Ni platings for electronic packaging.

Research Output:

  1. Publication

    • Tong-Yi Zhang, Wei-Hua Xu and Minghao Zhao, The role of plastic deformation at a rough surface in the size-dependent hardness, Acta Materialia, 52(2004)57-68.
    • Tong-Yi Zhang, Residual Stresses in Thin Films in Microelectronic and Microelectromechanical Systems, Chapter 6 in the book edited by J. Lu (in press).
    • Wei-Hua Xu and Tong-Yi Zhang, Surface Effect for Different Types of Materials in Nanoindentation, The Proceedings of the Fifth International Conference on Fracture and Strength of Solids and the Second International Conference on Physics & Chemistry of Fracture and Failure Prevention, Sendai, Japan, 20-22 October 2003, Key Engineering Materials, 261-263(2004)1587-1592.
    • Wei-Hua Xu, Jinrong Li and Tong-Yi Zhang, Nanoindentation test of rough surfaces with a flat indenter tip (working paper).
    • Tong-Yi Zhang, Plastic deformation of rough surface in the nanoindentation test, presentation at the IUTAM Symposium on Size Effects on Material and Structural behavior at Micro- and Nano-Scales, May31- June 4, 2004, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong.

  2. Student trained

    • Wei-Hua Xu, Ph.D student, admitted in Feb 2001 and graduated in December 2003.
    • Bin Huang, Ph.D student, admitted in September 1999 and graduated in December 2004.
    • Li-Lin Liu, Ph.D student, admitted in Feb 2003.

  3. Research Grant Attracted

    • University-Industry Collaboration Program, Hong Kong Innovation and Technology Fund (UIT/47, HK$370,000) with the matching fund (HK$185,000) of ASM Assembly Automation Ltd.

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