Nanoindentation-induced subsurface phase engineering in oxide-capped silicon

Key Points

• The aim is to investigate how indenter geometry and oxide capping can influence subsurface phase formation in silicon.
• Utilized nanoindentation techniques to apply pressure on silicon samples.
• Varying the geometry of the indenter used during the process.
• Applied oxide layers on silicon prior to indentation.
• Identified changes in subsurface R8 and BC8 phases based on different indenter geometries.
• Demonstrated enhancements in the properties of the silicon material due to subsurface phase engineering.