Title: Ring-crack initiation in micrometer-scale Hertz indentation simulated by controlled molecular dynamics

Authors: T. Inamura, Y. Shishikura, S. Hirota, N. Takezawa

Addresses: Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Gokiso-cho, Showa-Ku, Nagoya, 466-8555, Japan. ' Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Gokiso-cho, Showa-Ku, Nagoya, 466-8555, Japan. ' Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Gokiso-cho, Showa-Ku, Nagoya, 466-8555, Japan. ' Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Gokiso-cho, Showa-Ku, Nagoya, 466-8555, Japan

Abstract: Hertz indentation has been simulated using the controlled molecular dynamics proposed by the authors. The result of the simulation shows that a defect, which may develop into a ring crack, can be initiated during indentation even in monocrystalline silicon with no preexisting defect. The defect initiation occurs just outside the outer periphery of the contact surface between silicon and a diamond indenter when the static tensile stress is coupled there with the dynamic force associated with acoustic waves that may come from nearby amorphous areas in the field.

Keywords: molecular dynamics; simulation; Hertz indentation; ring crack initiation; defects; monocrystalline silicon; acoustic wave; amorphous; nanotechnology; tensile stress; acoustic waves.

DOI: 10.1504/IJNM.2010.034768

International Journal of Nanomanufacturing, 2010 Vol.6 No.1/2/3/4, pp.12 - 21

Published online: 22 Aug 2010 *

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