Brittle-to-ductile transition in nanoscratching of silicon and gallium arsenide using Berkovich and Conical tips

•The brittle-to-ductile transition (BDT) during nanoscratching of brittle single crystals is significantly influenced by the tip shape and crystallite structure.•Sharp-tip scratching results in a higher BDT critical depth in GaAs compared to Si due to higher bond-breaking energy required.•Using a blunt tip, GaAs exhibits a smaller BDT critical depth than Si due to its higher brittleness and increased crystallite defect density.•Scratch-induced defects in GaAs cause strain hardening, reducing its ductility, while amorphization in Si enhances ductility.