Pressure-induced phase transformations (PTs) between numerous phases of Si, the most important electronic material, have been studied for decades. This is not the case for plastic strain-induced PTs. Here, we revealed in-situ various unexpected plastic strain-induced PT phenomena. Thus, for 100 nm Si, strain-induced PT Si-I to Si-II (and Si-I to Si-III) initiates at 0.4 GPa (0.6 GPa) versus 16.2 GPa (∞, since it does not occur) under hydrostatic conditions; for 30 nm Si, it is 6.1 GPa versus ∞. The predicted theoretical correlation between the direct and inverse Hall-Petch effect of the grain size on the yield strength and the minimum pressure for strain-induced PT is confirmed for the appearance of Si-II. Retaining Si-II at ambient pressure and obtaining reverse Si-II to Si-I PT are achieved, demonstrating the possibilities of manipulating different synthetic paths.
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This content will become publicly available on March 6, 2025
Unexpected plastic strain-induced phase transformation phenomena in silicon
Pressure-induced phase transformations (PTs) in Si, the most important electronic material, have been broadly studied. However, strain-induced PTs in Si were never studied in situ. Here, we revealed in situ various important plastic strain-induced PT phenomena. A correlation between the particle size's direct and inverse Hall-Petch effect on yield strength and pressure for strain-induced PT is found. For 100 nm particles, strain-induced PT Si-I³Si-II initiates at 0.3 GPa versus 16.2 GPa under hydrostatic conditions; Si-I³Si-III PT starts at 0.6 GPa and does not occur under hydrostatic pressure. Pressure in small Si-II and Si-III regions is ~5-7 GPa higher than in Si-I. Retaining Si-II and single-phase Si-III at ambient pressure and obtaining reverse Si-II³Si-I PT demonstrates the possibilities of manipulating different synthetic paths. The obtained results corroborate the elaborated dislocation pileup-based mechanism and have numerous applications for developing economic defect-induced synthesis of nanostructured materials, surface treatment (polishing, turning, etc.), and friction.
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- Award ID(s):
- 2246991
- NSF-PAR ID:
- 10495199
- Publisher / Repository:
- https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-4014429/v1
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Research square
- ISSN:
- 2693-5015
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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