The analysis of existing models of stress in thin films and coatings was carried out. While reaching critical value, stress can lead to defects, cracks, delamination of coating from substrate, etc. The task of prediction and controlling of the direction and magnitude of the stress of coating-substrate system is relevant nowadays regardless of coating and thin films deposition methods. Different types of coatings and thin films are widely used in almost all industries: optics, mechanical engineering, measuring technology, medicine, micro- and nanoelectronics, etc. Development and investigation of new promising methods for the formation of nanostructures, such as nanowires in a plasma environment, requires a sufficient theoretical basis for the origin and growing of stresses. Depending on the mechanism, the causes of stress in thin films and coatings can be: chemical reactions, phase transformations, inclusions and impurities, particle bombardment (the cause of internal stress during coating growing); temperature changes (the cause of thermal stress due to different values of coefficients of thermal expansion of coating and substrate materials); deformation of coating-substrate system, etc. Models of stress development in coatings and thin films can be divided into the following groups: stress that occur at the coating-substrate interface, internal coating stress, and stress at the coating-environment interface. The study presents methods of stress measuring in thin films and coatings. Based on the results of the current research, it can be concluded that the existing models of stress in the process of growth of coatings and films, as well as stress arising under the action of external forces, describe only the causes of the stress and unfortunately do not give an understanding of their complex effect on stress-strain state of coating-substrate system and need further development and improvement. Stress relaxation is also important to obtain new structures and certain properties of coatings. The development of stress management tools can be considered as one of the ways to increase the lifetime of products with coatings and thin films.
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