Handbook of Silicon Based MEMS Materials and Technologies

2. Indentation in Silicon

As was mentioned in previous chapters, silicon is a hard, brittle material containing many types of structural defects related to particular methods of crystal growing, and different foreign atoms being introduced into the silicon structure during the processes of silicon wafer fabrication. Therefore, there is a quite essential detail in experimental route, especially with respect to thin films and extremely thin monolayers based on silicon and silica, since any defect on the surface may cause permanent cracking of the investigation materials.

Additionaly, very tenuous MEMS devices, which nowadays are widely produced with the close cooperation of the IC industry, have challenged scientists to employ much more sophisticated ...