Experimental Observation of \(\left\langle {c + a} \right\rangle\) Dislocations on \(\left\{ {\overline{1}2\overline{1}1} \right\}\) Plane in Submicron Magnesium

Pyramidal \(\left\langle {c + a} \right\rangle\) dislocationDislocation slip is the major deformation mode for accommodating plastic strain along c-axis in magnesiumMagnesium. Understanding its fundamental behaviors is crucial for revealing the plastic deformationPlastic deformation mechanisms of magnesium and its alloys. Pyramidal \(\left\langle {c + a} \right\rangle\) dislocations are usually considered to glide on \(\left\{ {10\overline{1}1} \right\}\) and \(\left\{ {11\overline{2}2} \right\}\) planes. By conducting in-situ compression test on submicron single-crystal magnesium pillars and three-dimensional image reconstruction, we find that the configurations of \(\left\langle {c + a} \right\rangle\) dislocationsDislocation are complicated, even for a single dislocation, its different segments can locate on multiple planes. We also find that some segments of the \(\left\langle {c + a} \right\rangle\) dislocations can locate on \(\left\{ {\overline{1}2\overline{1}1} \right\}\) planes, indicating \(\left\{ {\overline{1}2\overline{1}1} \right\}\) possible slip planesSlip plane for \(\left\langle {c + a} \right\rangle\) dislocationsDislocation in magnesiumMagnesium.