Measurement of the temperature coefficient of Young's modulus of single crystal silicon and 3C silicon carbide below 273 K using micro-cantilevers

This paper reports on the measurement of the thermal coefficient of Young's modulus of both single crystal silicon and 3C silicon carbide over the temperature range spanning 200-290 K. The thermal coefficients were determined by monitoring the change of resonance frequency of micro-cantilevers as their temperature was reduced. The thermal coefficient of Young's modulus, 1/E · δE/δT was measured to be -52.6 ± 3.45 ppm/K for silicon and -39.8 ± 5.99 ppm/K for 3C silicon carbide, agreeing well with theoretical predictions, and also with experimental values that have been previously published for temperatures above 273 K. This work has therefore expanded the temperature range over which the thermal coefficient of Young's modulus has been measured to below 273 K and towards the temperatures required for low-temperature military and space applications.