Deformation Modes and Structure Evolution in Laser‐Shock‐Loaded Molybdenum Single Crystals of High Purity

This paper reports on the microstructural changes occurring within molybdenum single crystals after shock treatment with an excimer laser‐system in a confined ablation mode with different number of impacts. Using different complementary investigation methods (optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy) it is found that slip and twinning are active modes of deformation during the shock‐induced plastic deformation. After laser treatment with a single laser pulse slip bands on {112} planes containing several microscopic twins are the dominating microstructural feature, whereas further laser‐shock‐processing leads to the formation of a homogeneous arrangement of screw dislocations, tangles and loops. Deformation modes and microstructure in laser shocked samples prove to be quite similar to those of explosive shocked specimens although the laser‐induced peak pressure is about an order of magnitude lower than that during explosive loading.It is shown that the laser shock‐induced hardening increases with increasing number of impacts in the range from 1 to 6 impacts. This shock‐induced strengthening is correlated with the overall dislocation density.