Deformation peculiarities in bidimensional structure ITO/n-Si under concentrated load action

Abstract

The development of modern technique requires new information regarding the mechanical properties of various materials having practical application, especially, bidimensional materials for micro- and optoelectronics: films, various structures of the layer/substrate type. Therefore, much attention is paid on the problem connected with the investigation of mechanical characteristics of such materials, in addition with the elucidation of deformation plastic mechanism under the action of concentrated load, and namely, under micropenetration. The paper is aimed to the investigation of the ITO/n-Si bidimensional semiconductor structure which is a promising material for the solar cells due to its high values of optical and electrical parameters, and the simplicity of preparation of the diverse structures on their bases using alternate crystalline supports [1]. The submicronic layers studied in work are a compound of SnO2-In2O3 (ITO) coating the n-Si crystals. The purpose of this work is to investigate the microhardness and the peculiarities of plastic deformation of these structures using microindentation method as one of the more suitable ones for study the mechanical properties of the dimensionally limited objects.