Study of the instability boundaries of plastic flow in Cu + 14 at.% Al single crystals at low temperatures

The authors experimentally revealed the existence of the temperature-strain rate region of jumplike deformation in Cu + 14 at.% Al single crystals between 4.2 and 25 K. For each particular temperature in this temperature range, there are a lower and an upper critical strain rates, between which deformation is jumplike. The character of transients occurring during strain rate variation was investigated by increasing the strain rate to the lower critical value. The experimental data are explained in terms of the thermomechanical instability concept and inertial effects of the sample-machine system.