Microstructure and creep mechanism of the Ag–In–Cd alloy under compressive load at 300–400 °C

•Deformation twins are formed in the crept Ag–In–Cd alloy via “stair-rod cross slip” mechanism.•Abundant dislocations are piled up on the twin boundaries with stress increasing to 24 MPa.•Dislocation density decreases at 400 °C due to dislocation climbing and reacting with twin boundaries.•The creep mechanism is dislocation slip at 300 °C and turns into dislocation climbing at 400 °C.

Microstructure and compressive creep mechanism of the Ag–In–Cd alloys were investigated at 300–400 °C. Deformation twins are formed in the crept Ag–In–Cd alloys due to the lower stacking fault energy. Abundant dislocations are piled up on the twin boundaries and the creep process is primarily controlled by dislocation slip at 300 °C. With temperature increasing to 400 °C, dislocation density dramatically decreases as a result of the dislocation climbing and reaction of dislocations with twin boundaries. The dominant creep mechanism presumably turns into dislocation climbing.