L. B. Freund - Böcker

Thin film mechanical behavior and stress presents a technological challenge for materials scientists, physicists and engineers. This book provides a comprehensive coverage of the major issues and topics dealing with stress, defect formation, surface evolution and allied effects in thin film materials. Physical phenomena are examined from the continuum down to the sub-microscopic length scales, with the connections between the structure of the material and its behavior described. Theoretical concepts are underpinned by discussions on experimental methodology and observations. Fundamental scientific concepts are embedded through sample calculations, a broad range of case studies with practical applications, thorough referencing, and end of chapter problems. With solutions to problems available on-line, this book will be essential for graduate courses on thin films and the classic reference for researchers in the field.

This volume emphasizes fundamental concepts, both on the development of mathematical models of fracture phenomena and on the analysis of these models. Cases involving stress waves impinging on cracks, tractions suddenly applied to the faces of cracks, and rapid crack growth and arrest are considered in detail. Most of the work is concerned with the behavior of nominally elastic materials, but available results on elastic-plastic and elastic-viscoplastic materials are included. Connections to experimental results and to applications in structural mechanics, seismology, and materials science are noted whenever possible.