Gliding at interface during thin film buckling: A coupled atomistic/elastic approach

The buckling of a Cu thin film deposited on a stiff W substrate is studied by means of molecular static simulations using interatomic potentials. The buckling of a preexisting delaminated part of the film is observed under a uniaxial strain without any further decohesion of the interface. A sliding phenomenon is also observed at the edges of the buckle which can be interpreted in terms of glide of misfit dislocations. Integrating this sliding effect in the Föppl–von Kármán theory of thin plates, a modified analytical expression for the deflection of the film has been derived which fits with the deflection obtained from the simulations.