C. Kirchlechner

Methodology for studying strain inhomogeneities in polycrystalline thin films during in situ thermal loading using coherent x-ray diffraction

Coherent x-ray diffraction is used to investigate the mechanical properties of a single grain within a polycrystalline thin film in situ during a thermal cycle. Both the experimental approach and finite element simulation are described. Coherent diffraction from a single grain has been monitored in situ at different temperatures. This experiment offers unique perspectives for the study of the mechanical properties of nano-objects.

Dislocation storage in single slip-oriented Cu micro-tensile samples: new insights via X-ray microdiffraction

Synchrotron X-ray microdiffraction was used to characterize the deformation structure of single crystalline Cu micro-tensile specimens which were oriented for single slip. The 3-µm thick samples were strained in situ in a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Electron microscopy observations revealed glide steps at the surface indicating single slip. While the slip steps at the surface must have formed by the predominant activation of the primary glide system, analysis of Laue peak streaking directions revealed that, even at low strains, dislocations had been activated and stored on an unpredicted slip system. Furthermore, the µLaue scans showed that multiple slip takes over at a later state of deformation.

Investigation of reversible plasticity in a micron-sized, single crystalline copper bending beam by X-ray μLaue diffraction

The observed mechanical behaviour of micron-sized samples raises fundamental questions about the influence of size on the underlying dislocation plasticity. In situ µLaue diffraction on a single crystalline copper bending beam was performed to study the feasibility of bending tests and their contribution to our understanding of size-dependent dislocation plasticity. Theoretical considerations lead to a minimum sample size where in situ µLaue experiments are useable. A critical size is evidenced below which, depending on Youngs modulus and maximum stress, the elastic and plastic contributions to the lattice curvature cannot be separated. The experiment shows the increase in geometrically necessary dislocations during plastic deformation followed by a decrease during unloading. This can be explained by the formation and dissolution of a dislocation pile-up at the neutral axis of the bending cantilever. The dissolution of the dislocation pile-up is caused by the back stress of the pile-up and a direct observation of the Bauschinger effect, which is consistent with the non-purely elastic mechanical behaviour when unloading the sample.

Temperature Dependence of Residual Stress Gradients in Shot-Peened Steel Coated with CrN

A temperature behaviour of residual stresses in shot-peened steel coated with 3m CrN is characterized using in-situ energy dispersive synchrotron X-ray diffraction performed in the temperature range of 25-800°C. The samples are thermally cycled and the development of volumeaveraged residual stresses in the coating and residual stress depth gradients in the steel is characterized. The results reveal complex changes of stresses in CrN and in the substrate. The annealing results in the removal of stress gradients in the steel which starts at the temperature of about 600°C. After cooling down, there are no stresses detected in the steel. The temperature dependence of stresses in CrN is very complex and indicates the presence of phenomena like an annealing of intrinsic stresses about the deposition temperature of 350°C, a formation and a closing of micro-cracks in the tensile region and finally a stress relaxation of approximately 500 MPa after the cooling down. The presented approach allows a complex characterization of thermo-mechanical processes in coating-substrate composites and opens the possibility to understand phenomena related to the thermal fatigue of coated tools.