Kinetic mechanism of surface instability evolution during etching, corrosion, and growth of elastically stressed solids

Corrosion precursors in the form of microgrooves appearing on the elastically compressed surface of a silicon plate under etching are investigated. No corrosion precursors are observed on the elastically stretched surface. This distinguishes the observed effect from corrosion cracking of metals, during which corrosion usually takes place on stretched surfaces. The general dynamic model proposed for the evolution of surface microgrooves during etching, corrosion, and growth of elastically stressed solids is based on the concept of two local etching (growth) rates which are linear functions of the local stress tensor. The model describes the kinetics of the process, and the asymmetry of corrosion evolution to the deformation sign. The role of stacking faults, dislocations, and artificially created surface steps in the evolution of corrosion in stressed silicon crystals is studied.