Linear Thermal Expansion Coefficient of Silicon from 293 to 1000 K

Abstract

As a part of the program to establish a thermal expansion standard, the linear thermal expansion coefficients of single-crystal silicon have been determined in the temperature range 293 to 1000 K using a dilatometer which consists of a heterodyne laser Michelson interferometer and gold versus platinum thermocouple. The relative standard deviation of the measured values from those calculated from the best least-squares fit was 0.21%. The relative expanded uncertainty in the measurement was estimated to be 1.1 to 1.5% in the temperature range, based upon an analysis of thirteen standard uncertainties. The present data are compared with the data previously obtained by similar dilatometers and the standard reference data for the thermal expansion coefficient of silicon, recommended by the Committee on Data for Science and Technology (CODATA). The present data are in good agreement with the most recently reported data but not with the earlier high-temperature data used to evaluate the standard reference data, which suggests a need for the reevaluation of the standard reference data for the thermal expansion coefficient of silicon at temperatures above 600 K.