Abstract

We evaluated ion plated and, for comparison, electron beam evaporated thin films with an ultra-microhardness tester used with an optical microscope. Implementations of the instrument for use inside a scanning electron microscope^1,2,3 and with a high resolution optical microscope⁴ have been described in sufficient detail elsewhere. Figure 1 shows typical indentations made with a Vickers diamond in a rather thick ion plated single layer of TiO₂ in comparison with an indentation obtained in an electron beam evaporated film of the same material and similar thickness. The ultra-microhardness values resulting from the measurement of the imprint diagonal differ whether the indentations are observed and measured with an optical microscope or with a scanning electron microscope.

© 1992 Optical Society of America