Effect of repeated nano-indentations on the deformation in monocrystalline silicon

Molecular dynamics were used to simulate the behavior of silicon monocrystal under three indentations repeated at the same location with the same speed and maximum indentation depth. Repeated indentations of the same depth and speed hardly increase the volume of the residual amorphous zone formed during the first indentation. The relative density of the amorphous zone remains almost constant with repeated indentations. The increase in the number of amorphous silicon atoms due to the second and third indentations is small.