Microscale Fracture Behavior of Single Crystal Silicon Beams at Elevated Temperatures

Abstract

The micromechanical fracture behavior of Si [100] was investigated as a function of temperature in the scanning electron microscope with a nanoindenter. A gradual increase in K was observed with temperature, in contrast to sharp transitions reported earlier for macro-Si. A transition in cracking mechanism via crack branching occurs at ∼300 °C accompanied by multiple load drops. This reveals that onset of small-scale plasticity plays an important role in the brittle-to-ductile transition of miniaturized Si.

Effects of indenter angle on micro‐scale fracture toughness measurement by pillar splitting

“…Third, crack nucleation and propagation is strongly influenced by the presence of residual stresses, which can be high in thin ceramic films, thereby limiting the application of the method to films in which the residual stresses are accurately known by other techniques. 6,7 The main testing geometries are single [12][13][14][15] and double cantilever beams. 6,7 To address these issues, a number of innovative techniques has been developed relying on fabrication by focused ion beam milling (FIB) of micro-beams deformed using a nanoindenter.…”

“…6,7 To address these issues, a number of innovative techniques has been developed relying on fabrication by focused ion beam milling (FIB) of micro-beams deformed using a nanoindenter. [12][13][14] Jaya et al 15 successfully used this technique to extract the fracture toughness as a function of the temperature. 6,7 The main testing geometries are single [12][13][14][15] and double cantilever beams.…”

“…,17 Specifically, Jaya et al15 reported a K c equal to 1.00AE0.15 MPaÁm 1/2 for Si (100) using the single cantilever method, while Best et al17 …”

Fracture Behavior of Nanoscale Notched Silicon Beams Investigated by the Theory of Critical Distances

“…Other researchers have focused on the thermomechanical and fracture properties of single-crystal silicon at elevated temperatures, particularly the brittle-ductile temperature transition. [17,18] Recent studies have investigated the cracking behavior from a notch tip in Si films. [19][20][21] The measured fracture toughness (K IC ) was found to be dependent on the loading direction and independent of the specimen surface orientation.…”

Review Article: Case studies in future trends of computational and experimental nanomechanics

“…The novelty is that sufficiently small volumes can be experimentally interrogated to give the type of physical parameters that will eventually be recoverable from atomistic simulations. To demonstrate this is possible, the following recent papers by Jaya et al 218 and Best et al 219 clearly demonstrate the experimental steps toward this goal. Expectantly, this will partially complete the path originally envisioned by St. John.…”