The use of AFM in assessing the crack resistance of silicon wafers of various orientations

Abstract Crack resistance of silicon wafers plays a vital role in development of MEMS technologies containing beam elements. In the present research, this characteristic was determined using the Vickers tip indentation method. The critical stress intensity factor KIC and fracture energy GIC of silicon wafers of (100), (110), and (111) crystallographic orientations were evaluated. The measurements were supplemented by imaging of indents using atomic force microscopy (AFM). The correlation of these parameters with the specific surface energy, Young’s modulus E and microhardness H was conducted. The values of E and H were evaluated by nanoindentation. The dependences of KIC and GIC on the load of silicon wafers of (100), (110), and (111) orientations were obtained.