Low-temperature deformation of nanocrystalline niobium

The strain characteristics of nanocrystalline niobium are measured in the temperature range 4.2–300 K. It is shown that the development of a strong local deformation with clearly delineated macroscopic slip bands occurs at 4.2 K and 10 K. The thermal effects at a stress jump observed upon transition of the sample (or a niobium strip placed close to the sample) from the superconducting state to the normal state are estimated. It is demonstrated that the temperature dependence of the yield point σ_s(T) can be divided into three portions: two portions (T<10 K and T>70 K) with a slight change in σ_s and the third portion with a strong dependence σ_s(T). The strain characteristics of polycrystals with nano-and larger-sized grains are compared with those of single crystals.