In-situ TEM mechanical testing of nanocrystalline zirconium thin films

In situ TEM study of grain growth in nanocrystalline copper thin films.

Nanocrystalline metals demonstrate a range of fascinating properties, including high levels of mechanical strength. However, as these materials are exposed to high temperatures, it is critical to determine the grain size evolution, as this process can drastically change the mechanical properties. In this work, nanocrystalline sputtered Cu thin films with 43 +/- 2 nm grain size were produced by ...

Correction: Quantitative in situ TEM tensile fatigue testing on nanocrystalline metallic ultrathin films.

The authors have found an error in the post-processing scheme to calculate the stress–strain curves from the raw electrical data (ΔC1 − ΔC2 vs. Vin, with and without the specimen). The scheme consists of calculating X A (using eqn (6)), from which ΔC1 is known (using eqn (1)). ΔC2 is then determined knowing the measured ΔC1 − ΔC2 value, from which XLS can be determined using eqn (1). The calibr...

Quantitative in situ TEM tensile fatigue testing on nanocrystalline metallic ultrathin films.

A unique technique to perform quantitative in situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) fatigue testing on ultrathin films and nanomaterials is demonstrated. The technique relies on a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device to actuate a nanospecimen and measure its mechanical response. Compared to previously demonstrated MEMS-based in situ TEM techniques, the technique takes advantage of ...

In-Situ Mechanical Testing of Nano-Component in TEM

In situ TEM observations of fast grain-boundary motion in stressed nanocrystalline aluminum films

Free-standing nanocrystalline Al thin films have been strained in situ in a transmission electron microscope at room-temperature. Extensive grain-boundary migration accompanies the in situ loading and has been observed to occur preferentially at crack tips and only in the presence of the applied stress. This grain growth precedes dislocation activity, and measured boundary velocities are greate...