Abstract

Thin Ag films deposited onto SiO_2/Si substrates by DC magnetron sputtering and thereafter annealed ,it temperatures 100-500°C are investigated by scanning tunneling and atomic forte microscopy. It is shown that the film surface topography and microstructure are considerably changed as a result of annealing. To provide a quantitative estimation of the surface topography changes of Ag films the surface fractal dimension was calculated. Elasticity and hardness of the films are studied by a nanoindentation technique. The films are found to have value of elastic modulus close to that of bulk silver while their hardness and yield stress are essentially higher.

• Keywords: Thin films;Silver;STM;Fractal dimension;Nanoindentation;Hardness;Yield stress;