Large local deflections of a dynamic crack front induced by intrinsic dislocations in brittle single crystals

We show that intrinsic dislocations in brittle single crystals can be a source of strong local perturbations along the crack path. A theoretical model was developed which predicts substantial crack front deflections. Investigating the crack surfaces in Si crystals with induced dislocation density of 10(9)-10(10) cm(-2) revealed a significant amount of crack front perturbations in the form of V-shaped grooves, which were completely missing in dislocation-free Si specimens. The measured depths of the perturbations were in the range of 2-20 nm and in excellent agreement with the theoretical model.