Direct observations of confined layer slip in Cu/Nb multilayers.
In situ nanoindentation of a 30 nm Cu/20 nm Nb multilayer film in a transmission electron microscope revealed confined layer slip as the dominant deformation mechanism. Dislocations were observed to nucleate from the Cu-Nb interfaces in both layers. Dislocation glide was confined by interfaces to occur within each layer, without transmission across interfaces. Cu and Nb layers co-deformed to large plastic strains without cracking. These microscopy observations provide insights in the unit mechanisms of deformation, work hardening, and recovery in nanoscale metallic multilayers.
Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies, Materials Physics and Applications Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA. nanli@lanl.gov
Nan
N
Li
Jian
J
Wang
Amit
A
Misra
Jian Yu
JY
Huang