Size effect and mechanochemical contraction of the Si(100) specimens

Variation of thickness of specimens of single crystalline silicon Si(100) prepared by scribing of the water of 100 mm diameter to parts of smaller size under atmospheric conditions is studied. It is shown that the thickness of specimens having small surface (∼1 cm 2 ) decreases after scribing by 0.8–1.0% (with the error of measurements < 0.3%). The observed decrease in the thickness is explained by the effect of sorption of vapors of atmospheric moisture in micropores with the decrease in the external surface of specimens of Si(100) (the sorbostriction phenomenon).