title: In situ TEM observation of nanobonding formation between silicon MEMS tips.
abstract: The process of formation of silicon nanobonds between opposing silicon tips was observed in situ with a transmission electron microscope at room temperature. Silicon nanobonding was formed by soft contact of the tips driven by MEMS actuators. According to the observations of the nanobond formation at atomic resolution, the structure of the bond evolved in three stages: (1) the formation of an initial amorphous bond, (2) its transformation into a mixture of amorphous silicon and nano-sized crystalline grains and (3) the transformation of a multi-crystalline bond.
authors.affiliation: Center for International Research on Micronano Mechatronics, Institute of Industrial Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan. tadashii@iis.u-tokyo.ac.jp
authors.forename: Tadashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ishida
authors.forename: Kuniyuki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kakushima
authors.forename: Naruo
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sasaki
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fujita