Observation of nanometer waves along fracture surface

The fracture in solid materials is ideally referred as a two-dimensional surface formed by a crack moving through a planar, straight-line path. In reality, the fracture has a complicated morphology. Recent studies have developed a dynamic model in which, a moving crack results in three-dimensional, elastic waves that generate morphology along the fracture surface. The waves are defined by their wavelengths of millimeters or higher scales. We present the observation of nanometer waves along the fracture surface of the silicon dioxide layers (thickness ~0.5–2 μm). These waves with the wavelengths of ~200 nm form a well-defined surface structure.