Stress Distribution in a Slip Trace of Deformed Ni3Ge Single Crystals

The shearstress distribution produced by distortion of Ni₃Ge single crystals under compression is studied. The evolution of the dislocation structure during deformation of Ni₃Ge single crystals of various orientations (2¯34], 1¯11]$, 1¯39], and 001]) at T = 77, 293, 523, 673, and 873 K is analyzed. It was found that, up to failure strains, the dislocation structure is characterized by a uniform dislocation distribution. Regardless of the strainaxis orientation, the linear relation = f(^0.5) is valid for all the test temperatures except for T = 77 K. The deviation from the linear relation at T = 77 K is due to the suppressed thermally activated slip of dislocations in nonuniformstrain fragments at the specimen edges. In these fragments, the shear stresses are substantially reduced, and hence, the stresses produced by the dislocation cluster retard the development of slip in this trace.