FRACTURE-TOUGHNESS OF GERMANIUM DETERMINED WITH THE VICKERS INDENTATION TECHNIQUE

The introduction and refinement of the indentation technique has made the measurement of fracture toughness simpler. In this work, all Vickers indentations were positioned so that the Vickers-induced radial cracks developed along the same set of planes perpendicular to the (111) plane. The indented surfaces were examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The Vickers indentation technique yields a fracture toughness value of 0. 53 MPa m** one-half plus or minus 0. 06 for monocrystalline germanium. 5 Refs.