Fatigue Damage Behavior Depending on the Bonding Interface Layer in Copper Film Bonded to Base Metals

Laminated copper films of the epoxy-bonded or diffusion-bonded to the base metal were used in order to investigate and analyze film fatigue behavior depending on the inevitable bonding interfaces for electric/functional parts used in MEMS. Fatigue damage was observed using SEM and crack initiation lives were evaluated at the notch root where the bonding interfaces could be observed directly through the thickness. These observations showed that the resin interface layer caused cracks without slips in a zig-zig pattern and also decreased fatigue crack initiation lives. On the other hand, fatigue damage was observed using an optical microscope on surface of the film with resin bonding or with diffusion bonded interfaces. In this case, many cracks were caused and propagated towards the width direction on the film bonded to the base steel with resin, while slip and cracks were caused along slip lines during fatigue on the film bonded to the base steel by diffusion. There was a significant difference in crack initiation behavior of the films between resin and diffusion bonded to base metals. This finding was not only for crack initiation site but also for roughness near the crack on the film. Using Eulerian equation of motion in continuum, this difference was discussed in terms of elastic displacement field with a wave caused from the base plate subjected to cyclic deformation. Such a wave motion enables us to understand the geometric effects of bonding interfaces on the fatigue damage behavior of the bonded film to base metal.