Time-dependent characteristics of materials and micromechanisms of plastic deformation on a submicron scale by a new pulse indentation technique

Abstract

Abstract A high-resolution dynamic nanoindentation technique has been developed (spatial resolution, about 1 nm; time resolution, about 50 μs). In addition we were able to record the electrical polarization of the indentation zone with a time resolution of about 100ns. It has been established that the process of the indenter penetration under step-like loading conditions can be described as consisting of several distinct stages (as many as four in some cases) that differ in kinetics and activation parameters. Relative contributions of non-equilibrium point defects and dislocations in each stage are discussed.