An interpretation of size-scale plasticity in geometrically confined systems.

ABSTRACT: The mesoscopic constitutive behavior of face-centered cubic metals as a function of the system characteristic dimension recently has been investigated experimentally. Strong size effects have been identified in both polycrystalline submicron thin films and single crystal micro pillars. The size effect is manifested as an increase in strength and hardening rate as the system dimensions are decreased. In this article, we provide a mechanistic interpretation for the observed mesoscopic behavior. By performing 3D discrete dislocation dynamics simulations of grains representative of the system microstructure and associated characteristic dimensions, we show that the experimentally observed size effects can be qualitatively described. In these simulations, a constant density of dislocation sourc

SUBMITTER: Espinosa HD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1288008 | biostudies-literature | 2005 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature