The formation mechanism of modulation structures along three different crystallographic directions in pure hafnium

Abstract

The microstructure of pure hafnium subjected to micro-hardness test was studied in detail by using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Results indicated that the {101‾0}<112‾0> prismatic slip system was commonly activated and modulation structures along three modulation directions can be frequently observed. Based on the crystallographic characteristics of these modulation structures and the electronic structure theory, the formation mechanism of modulation structures in Hf was discussed. It was confirmed that the original Brillouin zone of α-Hf was shifted along three different directions, g1, g2 and g3, under the action of external load, which changed the relative locations of the Brillouin zone and the Fermi sphere of the α-Hf and stabilized the whole system, thereby causing the formation of the modulation structure along three different directions.