Understanding　the　deformation　and　fracture　behavior　of　single　crystal　silicon　carbide　(SiC)　under　a　single　particle　is　of　scientific　and　practical　importance　for　the　micromachining　of　single　crystal　SiC.　In　this　work,　we　investigate　the　indentation　fracture　of　a　4H-SiC　single　crystal　wafer　with　the　indentation　direction　perpendicular　to　(0001)　plane,　using　Berkovich,　Vickers,　and　Knoop　indenters.　All　the　indentations　create　radial　cracks　for　the　normal　loads　used　in　this　work.　Both　the　Vickers　and　Knoop　hardness　tests　produce　lateral　cracks.　The　fracture　toughness　calculated　from　the　Vickers　hardness　tests　is　smaller　than　the　ones　calculated　from　the　Knoop　hardness　tests　and　the　Berkovich　indentations　under　large　indentation　loads.　The　fracture　toughness　of　4H-SiC　single　crystal　decreases　with　the　increase　of　the　indentation　load　under　small　indentation　loads　for　the　Berkovich　indentations,　revealing　the　phenomenon　of　surface　hardening.　The　surface　energy　calculated　from　the　radial　cracks　is　comparable　to　the　results　reported　in　the　literature.　We　establish　an　analytical　expression　of　the　total　energy　dissipation　of　a　single　indentation　cycle,　including　the　contribution　of　indentation-induced　cracking,　which　offers　an　approach　to　calculate　the　ratio　of　the　energy　dissipation　due　to　cracking　to　the　energy　dissipation　due　to　plastic　deformation　and　determine　the　dominant　deformation　process　controlling　the　indentation　deformation.　The　analysis　of　the　energy　dissipation　for　the　indentations　of　the　4H-SiC　single　crystal　by　the　Berkovich　indenter　reveals　that　the　energy　dissipation　from　the　indentation-induced　cracking　is　significantly　larger　than　(more　than　eight　times)　that　from　plastic　deformation　for　the　indentation　loads　larger　than　75　mN.　©　2024　Elsevier　Ltd