Measurements were made of the photostimulated electron emission from single-crystalline Al (99.995%) and high-purity polycrystalline Al (>99.9%) during uniaxial tensile deformation. Photo-electron intensities were sensitive to changes in surface morphology accompanying deformation, including slip line and slip band formation. In the single crystalline material, the photostimulated electron emission intensity increased linearly with strain. In the polycrystalline material, the photostimulated electron emission intensity increased exponentially with strain. In both materials, time-resolved photostimulated electron emission measurements show step-like increased in intensity consistent with the heterogeneous nucleation and growth of slip bands during tensile deformation. In that sense, dislocation motion was observed by using this technique. Slip bands on the surfaces of deformed samples were subsequently imaged by atomic-force microscopy. Photo-electron measurements could provide reliable, quantitative information for dislocation dynamics.

“Observation” of Dislocation Motion in Single Crystal and Polycrystalline Aluminum during Uniaxial Deformation using Photoemission Technique. M.Cai, L.E.Levine, S.C.Langford, J.T.Dickinson: Materials Science and Engineering A, 2005, 400-401, 476-80