Analysis of anomalous slip in Ta single crystals using optical, atomic force, and orientation imaging microscopies

High purity Ta single crystals oriented for single slip were deformed in compression at 300K and 77K. The sample deformed at 300K exhibited wavy glide whereas the sample deformed at 77K exhibited anomalous slip. Sharp load drops were recorded in the stress-strain curve of the sample tested at 77K. Previous work attributes such unloading events to either the formation of large deformation twins or to the anomalous slip process itself. Orientation imaging microscopy was applied to probe lattice rotations occurring as a result of deformation in an effort to detect the presence of large deformation twins, none were found. Optical and atomic force microscopies were applied to map the slip traces appearing on the sample surface. Atomic force microscopy revealed that the fine structure within the rather coarse anomalous slip bands is comprised of atomistic scale slip lines organized into packets. These slip packets appear to account for the fine slip traces often observed within anomalous slip bands