You want to measure the thickness of thin films on your materials
Thick film thickness measurement in tribology
Tribology is the science that studies the interaction of surfaces in relative motion, encompassing friction, wear and lubrication. At the heart of this discipline is the understanding of thin films, whether protective coatings or lubricating films. Accurately measuring their thickness is crucial to optimising performance, extending component life and innovating in many industrial sectors.
Why is thickness measurement essential in tribology?
In a tribological system (where surfaces are in contact, with or without friction), the thin film plays a decisive role in wear resistance, friction reduction, corrosion protection or thermal resistance.
The thickness of thin films has a direct influence on :
Wear resistance: a coating that is too thin could wear prematurely, while one that is too thick could crack or delaminate.
Coefficient of friction: lubricating films or solid layers modify surface interactions, impacting on friction and energy efficiency.
Adhesion and cohesion: optimum thickness ensures good adhesion of the coating to the substrate and sufficient internal cohesion.
Mechanical properties: the hardness, elasticity and toughness of thin films are often dependent on their thickness.
System life: an appropriate tribological design, based on a controlled layer thickness, guarantees the reliability and longevity of the equipment.
The FILAB laboratory can help you measure the thickness of thin films
Why choose FILAB for thin film thickness measurement
The FILAB laboratory offers you a comprehensive, tailor-made approach to measuring the thickness of thin films. Thanks to state-of-the-art analytical equipment and a team of engineers specialising in surface analysis, tribology, metallurgy and fatigue, we are able to simulate your actual conditions of use, adapt test protocols to your constraints, and above all characterise damaged areas in detail (wear, oxidation, cracks, etc.).
Industrial applications for measuring the thickness of thin films
FAQ
A thin film is a material with an extremely low thickness, generally of the order of a few nanometres to a few micrometres. These layers are deposited on a substrate to modify its surface properties (optical, electrical, mechanical, etc.) without altering the base material.
Accurate thickness measurement is essential for controlling product performance and quality. The thickness of a thin film directly influences its functional properties. For example, in anti-reflective coatings, an incorrect thickness can lead to poor light transmission. In protective coatings, a layer that is too thin could compromise resistance to wear or corrosion.
When measuring thin films, the challenges include :
- Very thin thickness: requires high-precision instruments.
- The nature of the material: some materials are transparent, others opaque, which affects the choice of method.
- Surface roughness: an excessively rough surface can make optical measurements difficult.
- Layer inhomogeneity: variations in thickness across the sample.
- The presence of multiple layers: makes analysis more complex, often requiring advanced optical models.
Surface roughness can have a significant impact, particularly on optical methods.
- Light scattering: a rough surface may scatter incident light non-uniformly, making it difficult to interpret data in ellipsometry or UV-Vis-NIR spectroscopy.
- Measurement errors: roughness can distort results, as the instrument may measure an “effective” thickness rather than the actual thickness of the dense layer.
- Model limitations: the models used to analyse optical data often assume perfectly smooth surfaces. More complex models or alternative techniques may be required for rough surfaces.
In some cases, surface preparation (gentle polishing if possible) or the choice of a method that is less sensitive to roughness may be considered.
