Compressive properties of interface-containing Cu–Fe nano-pillars

We report a focused-ion-beam-less fabrication route for producing 100 nm-diameter bi-material nano-pillars comprising single crystalline ∼〈1 1 0〉-oriented Fe and ∼〈1 1 1〉-oriented Cu. Uniaxial compression tests revealed that these pillars exhibit strengths around 1 GPa, without failure at the Cu–Fe interface. The pillars represent a prototyped metal–matrix nano-composite with highly controllable microstructure, high strengths, and strong metal–metal interfaces. The isolation and engineering of a single interface in a single pillar allow for fundamental insights gained into their deformation mechanisms.