Abstract
Mechanical properties of thin films are, in principle, determined from nanoindentation tests. However, these quantities may be seriously affected by many factors, such as the tip shape of indenter, frame compliance of the nanoindenter used, mechanical properties of the substrate and surface roughness of the film. In this study, these factors are critically examined in the analysis of the load-displacement (P-h) curves to reveal the mechanical properties of commercial diamond-like-carbon (DLC) films about 1 micron thick. The effect of the substrate is also examined with the aid of computer calculation of indentation-induced deformations.
