Abstract
Recently the author proposed a model for the origin of the observed intrinsic tensile stresses in thin metal films. The model predicts a large stress S relatively independent of thickness, in films when the ratio of the melting to the substrate (absolute) temperatures, Tm/Ts, exceeds 4. Conversely, S will be small when Tm/Ts, is smaller than 4 and should decrease with increasing film thickness. The stress has been measured in Al, Cu, and Ni films as a function of Tm/Ts and the data obtained verifys the above predictions. For Tm/Ts much larger than 4, S in Al films is 2×109 dyn/cm2; in Cu, 7×109 dyn/cm2; and in Ni, 9×109 dyn/cm2. As Tm/Ts becomes less than 4 the stress in each case is small, and decreases with increasing film thickness.