Spatial characterisation of the orientation distributions in a stable plane strain-compressed Cu crystal: A statistical analysis

Single copper crystals of the stable Goss orientation {0 1 1}<1 0 0> were deformed in plane strain compression and the deformation-induced dislocation structures were investigated by high-resolution electron backscattered diffraction. Although the orientation maps exhibited an anisotropic dislocation boundary structure it was shown that the mean disorientation angle between point pairs saturated and became isotropic if their spacing was large enough (typically >30 μm). This saturation behaviour was interpreted as being a consequence of the anti-correlations between nearby dislocation boundaries and is discussed in terms of recent stochastic models of boundary formation. It was found that the disorientation boundaries, which were considered as being formed at relatively low strains, underwent rigid body-like rotations during deformation