Mesoscale Heterogeneity in the Plastic Deformation of a Copper Single Crystal

The work reported here is part of a 'multiscale characterization' study intended to clarify the deformation pattern in a Cu single crystal deformed in compression. A copper single crystal was oriented for single slip in the (111)((bar 1)01] slip system and tested to ∼10% strain in uniaxial compression, using a specifically designed '6 degree of freedom' compressive test device to achieve uniaxial strain. The macroscopic strain field was monitored during the test by optical 'image correlation' methods that mapped the strain field with a spatial resolution of about 100 (micro)m. The strain field was measured on orthogonal surfaces, one of which (the x-face) was oriented perpendicular to (1(bar 2)1] and contained the ((bar 1)01] direction of the preferred slip system. The macroscopic strain produced is an inhomogeneous pattern of broad, crossed shear bands in the x-face. One, the primary band, lay parallel to (111). The second, the 'conjugate' band, was oriented perpendicular to (111) and contains no common slip plane of the fcc crystal. The mesoscopic structure of the inhomogeneous macroscopic deformation pattern was explored with selected area diffraction, using a focused synchrotron radiation polychromatic beam with a resolution of 1-3 (micro)m. Areas within the primary, conjugate and primary + conjugate strain regions of the x-face were identified and mapped for their orientation, excess defect density and shear stress. The mesoscopic defect structure consisted of broad, somewhat irregular primary bands that lay nominally parallel to (111) in a almost periodic distribution with a period of about 30 (micro)m. These primary bands were dominant even in the region of conjugate strain. There were also broad conjugate defect bands, almost precisely perpendicular to the primary bands that tended to bridge primary bands and terminate at them. The residual shear stresses were large (ranging to well above 500 MPa) and strongly correlated with the primary shear bands. The results are compared to the mesoscopic defect patterns found in Cu in etch pit studies done some decades ago