Evaluation of Mechanical Properties of Porous OSG Films by PFQNM AFM and Benchmarking with Traditional Instrumentation.

Characterization of mechanical properties of thin porous films with nanoscale resolution remains a challenge for instrumentation science. In this work, atomic force microscopy (AFM) in the PeakForce quantitative nanomechanical mapping (PFQNM) mode is used for Young's modulus measurements of porous organosilicate glass films. The test samples were prepared by sol-gel techniques using silicon alkoxide and methyl-modified silicon alkoxide to prepare films with different CH/Si ratios.