6025.2:
Fundamentals of Nano-scaled Crack Propagation for Processing of Semiconductor Devices
Abstract
The project is a technologically oriented fundamental project, which aims to understand the fundamental fracture mechanisms governing nano-scaled crack propagation in semiconductors. Fracture mechanisms will be revealed by newly developed nanoscratch and cleavage devices for use inside the SEM that allow to mechanically load devices and to observe at the same time crack formation on nm and cm length scales. It is projected (1) to numerically simulate the crack driving stress fields and (2) to investigate the crack – microstructure interactions in order to establish together with the in-situ crack propagation experiments a multiscale model for nanoscaled control of crack propagation. The commercial goal of the project is to master cleavage crack initiation and propagation to achieve atomically flat cleavage planes over cm distances for processing of optical semiconductor devices