Numerical Assessment of Compressive Deformation in Metal-Ceramic Multilayer Micro-Pillars

A numerical study was undertaken to investigate the mechanical properties of metal-ceramic multilayer micro-pillars under compression. The model system contains alternating layers of aluminum (Al) and silicon carbide (SiC) above a thick silicon (Si) substrate. The finite element analyses show that the pillar deformed in a non-uniform manner under compression, especially when a tapered side wall was included in the model. The heterogeneous feature of the structure plays a significant role in influencing the apparent stress-strain response. The elastic property of the pillar compares favorably with the true composite modulus, but a large discrepancy was found in the plastic response. The difference in deformation behavior between homogeneous pillars and multilayer pillars, along with other geometric effects, were examined in detail.