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Low Speed Crack Propagation via Kink Formation and Advance on the Silicon (110) Cleavage Plane
James R Kermode1, Anna Gleizer2, Guy Kovel2
1Warwick Centre for Predictive Modelling, School of Engineering, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, United Kingdom.
Abstract:
We present density functional theory based atomistic calculations predicting that slow fracturing of silicon is possible at any chosen crack propagation speed under suitable temperature and load conditions. We also present experiments demonstrating fracture propagation on the Si(110) cleavage plane in the ~100 m/s speed range, consistent with our predictions. These results suggest that many other brittle crystals could be broken arbitrarily slowly in controlled experiments.
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