Electroplated nickel is a promising material to realise movable Structures for micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) applications. The determination of mechanical parameters are of significant interest for their optimum design. Nickel was electroplated using a nickelsulfamate electrolyte tinder pulse-plating conditions. Young's modulus Was determined by comparison of different measuring techniques: laser-acoustic method, instrumented microindentation test as well as resonance frequency measurements of laterally and vertically swinging cantilevers. For nickel layers deposited with a mean current density of 2 mA/ cm(2), Young's modulus values of about 205 GPa were observed. The values decreased to about 165 GPa when increasing the mean current density to 20 mA/cm(2). This behaviour can be explained by texture effects. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.