Berkovich nanoindentation-induced dislocation energetics and pop-in effects in ZnSe thin films

• Published in: Journal of alloys and compounds Vol. 590; pp. 153 - 156
• Main Authors: Jian, Sheng-Rui, Lin, Ya-Yun
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier B.V 25.03.2014; Elsevier
• Subjects: Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Cross sections; Diffraction; Dislocations; Distortion; Exact sciences and technology; Mechanical and acoustical properties; Molecular beam epitaxy; Nanoindentation; Nanostructure; Physical properties of thin films, nonelectronic; Physics; Pop-in; Surfaces and interfaces; thin films and whiskers (structure and nonelectronic properties); Thin films; Transmission electron microscopy; Zinc selenides; ZnSe thin film; ZnSe thin film; Pop-in; Transmission electron microscopy; Nanoindentation; Thin films; High strain; Dislocation nucleation; Molecular beam epitaxy; Zinc selenides; Dislocations
• ISSN: 0925-8388; 1873-4669
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jallcom.2013.12.103

The mechanical deformation behaviors of ZnSe thin film are investigated by combining Berkovich nanoindentation and the cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy (XTEM) techniques. No evidence of nanoindentation-induced phase transformation was revealed in ZnSe thin film by the XTEM and the selected area diffraction analyses. [Display omitted] •ZnSe films are deposited on GaAs (001) substrates using MBE.•The deformation behaviors for ZnSe films are studied by nanoindentation and TEM.•The dislocation loops in ZnSe films is estimated by classical dislocation theory. The Berkovich nanoindentation-induced characteristic “pop-in” phenomena observed in ZnSe thin films are investigated in this study. The ZnSe thin films are grown on the GaAs(001) substrates by using the molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) system. No evidence of nanoindentation-induced phase transformation was revealed in ZnSe thin film by the cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy (XTEM) and selected area diffraction (SAD) analyses. Furthermore, as displayed in the SAD results, the distortion of diffraction spots did indicate severe deformation of indented ZnSe thin films resulting from the nanoindentation load. Based on this scenario, an energetic estimation of dislocation nucleation is made.