Influence of loading holding time under quasistatic indentation on electrical properties and phase transformations of silicon

The quasistatic Vickers indentation of Si (100) were applied to investigate the influence of loading holding time on the changes of electrical resistance and phase transformation in the indentation zone. For all used loading regimes with different holding times (2 s, 10 s, 1 h and 10 h) in combination with constant loading-unloading rate (250 mN/s) the electrical resistance in the region of residual indentations was found to be lower than before indentation. It was shown that this is connected with the formation of semimetallic Si-III phase and amorphous Si of higher pressure induced by creep process developed under long lasting pressure. The longer the holding time, the greater lowering of electrical resistance in the indentation region was observed, with the exception of the holding time above 1 h, this being explained by a decelerating creep rate of Si for this interval of time leading to a halt of further extending of amorphous and Si-III regions of lower electrical resistance.