The role of dislocation walls for nanoindentation to shallow depths

Dislocation events are seen as excursions or pop-in events in the load–displacement curve of nanoindentation experiments. Two nanoindenters have been used to examine the difference between quasi-static and dynamic loading during indentation. Yield excursions were present in the load–displacement curves of both the statically and dynamically loaded single crystal nickel samples. Only one major excursion occurred in each quasi-static indent, nominally loaded at 100 μN/s while staircase yielding was observed under dynamic loading indentation with a 45 Hz oscillation of 2 nm superimposed on a 60 μN/s loading rate. Thermal activation analysis is used to explain the arrest and reinitiation of the yielding with activation volumes being modeled. For nanoindentation experiments differences between quasi-static and dynamic loading are described by the models presented. It is proposed that insight into the plastic deformation mechanisms associated with such plastic instabilities will provide one of the keys to length scale effects necessary to understanding nanostructures.