Characterization of microstructural stability for nanotwinned mercury cadmium telluride under cyclic nanoindentations

Nanotwinned (nt) mercury cadmium telluride (HgCdTe or MCT) was prepared using nanoindentations. The hardness of nt-MCT is 100 times higher than that of monocrystalline counterparts. Transmission electron microscopy shows that the twin lamellae of nt-MCT prior to cyclic nanoindentations are distributed along two directions, intersecting at an angle of 76°. The nanotwinned microstructure of nt-MCT is stable after 100 cyclic nanoindentations. The loading–unloading curves of nt-MCT are basically invariable after 50 cycles, and have elastic characteristics.