Micro-compression Testing in Irradiated Materials

The methodology of compression testing of micrometer-scale metallic samples tested in a nanoindenter platform is described. Examples of the applications of this test methodology to elucidate sample size effects in yield strength and strain hardening of metal single crystals, shear band behavior in metallic glasses, and strengthening mechanisms and shear band formation in nanoscale metallic multilayers are highlighted. The key limitations and sources of error in the test methodology due to sample preparation, acquisition, and analysis of test data are reviewed. The application of the micropillar compression tests to evaluate ion irradiation hardening in metallic alloys is discussed.