Strain Mapping of Indented Zr-Based Bulk Metallic Glass Using Nano-Diffraction

Abstract

The state-of-the-art nano-diffraction technique available at the P06 beamline of the synchrotron radiation source PETRA III was used to observe the strain distribution induced within bulk metallic glass by nano-indentation. Bulk metallic glass (BMG) with nominal composition Zr52.5Ti5Cu17.9Ni14.6Al10 at.% was prepared by conventional copper mold injection casting. Using the Berkovich indenter a series of indents forming a line was introduced on to the polished surface of the BMG sample. It has been shown that spatially resolved matrix scans with a nanometer sized beam (600 × 600 nm2) can identify positions of the indents and quantitatively describe the strain state after nano-indentation.