AFM study of the morphology and micro-strain of slip bands in twin under cyclic deformation

The height difference and its corresponding strain of slip bands in twin produced by cyclic deformation have been studied on nanoscale by atomic force microscopy (AFM). Although most slip bands locally display relatively flat surface on macroscale, i.e., a zigzag shape on nanoscale with the height difference of dozens of nanometers, it found that for some well-developed slip bands in twins their micro-strain varies from the order of 10−3 to 10−2. Most height differences among slip bands are less than 500 nm.