Fabrication and in situ compression testing of Mg micropillars with a nontrivial cross section: Influence of micropillar geometry on mechanical properties

Micropillars with a nontrivial cross-sectional shape but constant cross-sectional area were fabricated from a pure magnesium single crystal with (0001) orientation by a focused gallium ion beam using a modified annular milling method. The basic mechanical properties (compressive modulus, strength at different plastic strain levels and hardening exponent) of those structures were determined under compression by means of in situ nanoindentation in scanning electron microscope and correlated by the micropillar cross-sectional circumference. It was observed that the modulus and strength increased with increasing circumference. The values of the modulus for the complex cross sectional shapes are on average higher by 5%, and the yield strength, ranging between 274 MPa and 342 MPa, is on average higher by 20% relative to micropillars with a simple circular or polygonal cross section. Surprisingly, the hardening exponent remains nearly constant regardless of the micropillar cross section.