The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Gaithersburg, Md., has developed a method for testing the strength of thin films. The method, called SIEBIMM for strain-induced elastic buckling instability for mechanical measurements, builds on the science of buckling, which studies crumbling buildings and crumpling of the Earth’s crust.The test can determine whether thin films — some no thicker than a single molecule — are strong enough for a growing number of technology applications. The method is quick and easy to run.Thin Film under Stress