Experimental method for true in situ measurements of shear-coupled grain boundary migration

A novel set-up developed to continuously observe and measure stress-driven grain boundary migration is presented. A commercial tensile/compression scanning electron microscope hot stage was utilized for in situ observations of mechanically loaded samples at elevated temperatures up to 850 °C by recording orientation contrast images of bicrystal surfaces. Two sample holders were designed and fabricated for applying a shear stress to the boundary in bicrystals of various geometries. The results of the first measurements in Al bicrystals are presented.