Research on the improvement of the adhesion strength of the Cu films deposited on the Al2O3 films

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Due to the significant discrepancy in the coefficient of linear thermal expansion between Cu and ceramic in T-type thin film thermocouples, the Cu thin films often exhibit a low adhesion strength with the ceramic layers (Al2O3). In order to improve the adhesion strength of the Cu with the Al2O3 films, several methods during preparation were studied. First, different thicknesses of the Cu thin films deposited at different deposition temperatures on the Al2O3 thin films prepared by the magnetron sputtering were studied. Second, the Ti/Ni buffer layer between the Cu and the Al2O3 thin films was prepared. Finally, the average roughness of Al2O3 was studied. The adhesion strength of the Cu with the Al2O3 thin films, the microstructure of the surface and the cross section of the Cu and the Al2O3 thin films, and the grain size and the roughness of the films are characterized by nanoscratch testing, scanning electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy. The adhesion strength of the Cu films with the Al2O3 films increases with an increase in the thickness of the Cu thin films and the roughness of the Al2O3 thin films and the addition of the Ti/Ni buffer layers.