Semiconductor bond rupture phenomena and surface properties

The complexities of semiconductor bond rupture processes and cleavage surfaces are becoming clarified by recent studies. The high energies released during bond breaking cause a variety of phenomena, including generation of voltages and currents, and emission of light of various wavelengths and durations. Electrical effects during cleavage of Si include generation of voltage pulses up to about 400 mV, with currents up to about 5 mA. If voltages are applied during cleavage, the duration of the luminescence is affected in a systematic way. Low temperature cleavage experiments show that the surface is at an elevated temperature for a short period. There is persistent evidence for the finding first reported many years ago, that crack healing can take place, which is incompatible with cleaved surface structure models featuring irreversible changes.