Investigation of dislocation structure in a cyclically deformed copper single crystal using electron channeling contrast technique in SEM

The dislocation structures in a copper single crystal under cyclic straining were studied using electron channeling contrast (ECC) in scanning electron microscopy (SEM). It is shown that the typical dislocation structures observed in the cyclically deformed copper single crystal by means of the ECC technique are in good agreement with those observed by transmission electron microscopy. ECC-SEM observation clearly reveals an evolutional process of dislocation structure from the loop patches of matrix formed at lower strain amplitude to the labyrinth formed at higher strain amplitude. Moreover, the dislocation microstructure in deformation bands, distinctly different from that in the surrounding matrix, was also observed by this technique.