Experimental Analysis of the Elastic-Plastic Transition During Nanoindentation of Single Crystal Alpha-Silicon Nitride

Abstract

The elastic-to-plastic transition in single crystal alpha-silicon nitride was experimentally characterized through a series of nanoindentation experiments using a spherical indenter. The experimental results provide a quantitative description of the critical shear strengths for the transition, as well as estimates of the shear modulus and nanohardness of the material.