Thin film materials are used as the main component of MEMS devices and micro-machines. Residual stress and modulus of elasticity are important characteristics of usability for these materials. This document specifies the method for performing bulge tests on the free-standing film that is bulged within a window. The specimen is fabricated with micro/nano structural film materials, including metal, ceramic and polymer films, for MEMS, micromachines and others. The thickness of the film is in the range of 0,1 μm to 10 μm, and the width of the rectangular and square membrane window and the diameter of the circular membrane range from 0,5 mm to 4 mm. The tests are carried out at ambient temperature, by applying a uniformly-distributed pressure to the testing film specimen with bulging window. Elastic modulus and residual stress for the film materials can be determined with this method. The committee responsible is DKE/K 631 "Halbleiterbauelemente" ("Semiconductor devices") of the DKE (German Commission for Electrical, Electronic and Information Technologies) at DIN and VDE.
