The dislocation structure of slip bands in deformed high entropy alloy nanopillars

Remarkable diversity is observed in dislocation interactions that are responsible for intermittent and sudden crystal slips. While large crystal slips can be easily observed on the surface of deformed crystals, unraveling the underlying dislocation interaction mechanisms, however, has been a longstanding challenge in the study of single-crystal plasticity. A recent study demonstrated that the sluggish dislocation dynamics in the high entropy alloy (HEA) of Al_0.1CoCrFeNi enables the observation of slip bands for a direct link to dislocation avalanches in a nanopillar. Here, we further examined the dislocation structure of slip bands in the HEA nanopillars oriented for single slip. Experimental evidence was provided on the dislocation organization in a slip band based on groups of primary dislocations, secondary dislocations, and dislocation pileups. The results were compared with the previously proposed slip band models. The unique aspects of the HEA that enable such observations were also investigated through an examination of the dislocation microstructure and its response to applied forces in the HEA nanopillars.