X. Milhet et al., Characterization of room-temperature plastic deformation Of beta-Si3N4 by atomic force microscopy and transmission electron microscopy, PHIL MAG L, 81(9), 2001, pp. 623-629
Dislocation microstructures induced by room-temperature microhardness tests
have been investigated in silicon nitride. Surface analysis of the residua
l indent by atomic force microscopy reveals intragranular slip bands and de
monstrates that room-temperature plastic deformation involves dislocation m
otion as well as cross-slip events. Cross-slip events have been found to oc
cur between (10(1) over bar 0) prismatic planes. Transmission electron micr
oscopy shows that dislocations have a Burgers vector b = [0001] and are loc
ated along the screw direction. Based on these observations, specific dislo
cation core configurations are discussed.