Background Metallic films are commonly used as interconnects in semiconductor devices, flexible electronic devices, and micro-electronic-mechanical systems (MEMS). These applications typically require good mechanical (e.g., high strength) and electrical (e.g., low resistivity) properties. Nanocrystalline or nanolaminate films are commonly used, and...

Background Metallic glass (amorphous) films have superior hardness, wear, and corrosion resistance as well as lower roughness compared to crystalline metallic films. These superior properties arise because of the lack of crystal defects and grain boundaries in metallic glass films. Metallic glass films have numerous applications in biomedical devices,...

Background Nitinol (NiTi) is a nickel titanium alloy that has shape memory features, and can recover its initial shape after deformation upon heating. NiTi has a large recoverable strain and high work output, making NiTi films an ideal choice for sensors and actuators in MEMS devices. However, the thermal shape memory effect in NiTi is suppressed when...

Background Increased material strength and ductility are almost universally desired. However, a well-known tradeoff between the two parameters exists: Strong materials (such as ceramics) are typically brittle, while ductile materials (such as metals and metallic alloys) generally exhibit low to moderate strength. Efforts to overcome this strength-ductility...