Dislocation configurations which were associated with the first stages of plastic deformation, around a nano-indentation in an (001) surface, were characterized. Dislocations with a screw component were shown to glide across {111} planes and, via a cross-slip mechanism, gave rise to revolving terraces in the neighborhood of the nano-indentation trace; with their edges parallel to compact <110> directions. Standard dislocation theory for an elastic continuum was shown to describe adequately the dislocation configuration which was observed, and to provide an explanation for the generation of the terraces.

Dislocation Cross Slip and Formation of Terraces around Nanoindentations in Au(001). E.Carrasco, O.Rodríguez de la Fuente, M.A.González, J.M.Rojo: Physical Review B, 2003, 68[18], 180102 (4pp)