Electronic imaging of subcritical defect accumulation in single crystal silicon under fatigue loading

High resolution electron beam induced current (EBIC) imaging technique successfully visualized defect accumulation process in single crystal silicon under compression fatigue loading at 50 °C with the relative humidity of 75%. Dark line-like defect contrast emanating from deep-etched stress concentration notch appeared in EBIC images in a scanning electron microscope, after a certain number of fatigue cycles, but they were mostly invisible with secondary electron. This line-like defect contrast eventually extended along the direction which was expected in correspondence to one of the crystal slip systems of silicon with the largest resolved shear stress. Hence it is strongly suggested that crystal slips take place in bulk silicon under repeated loading, which presumably leads to local stress concentration and further to fatigue fracture especially in case tensile stress is applied in fatigue cycles.