Raman spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy, combined with the Vickers indentation method, were applied to analyze the fracture behavior of a thin (i.e., 1 mu m in thickness) aluminum nitride (AlN) film deposited on a (001)Si substrate. A series of indentations were introduced in the AlN/Si system with applying gradually increasing loads, and the stress intensity factor, K-R, stored at the tip of cracks propagated from the indentation corners was determined according to the shift of selected Raman bands from wurtzitic AlN in response to the crack-tip residual stress field. A steeply rising crack resistance curve was found in the AlN film, starting from an intrinsic toughness, K-I0 = 0.6 MPa m(1/2), for crack initiation up to K-R congruent to 5 MPa m(1/2) (at a crack length of similar to 120 mu m). Such rising R-curve behavior was attributed to the presence of a compressive residual stress field stored in the AlN film. The results obtained by Raman spectroscopy were consistently supported by direct crack opening displacement measurements in a scanning electron microscope. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.