Investigation of the plastic deformation of single crystal copper using a two-dimensional discrete dislocation dynamics model

Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) that feature components with the same geometrical size as that of an individual grain have been widely used in a variety of industries, including electronics, machinery, energy, transportation, aerospace, and architecture. Owing to the widespread engineering application of MEMS and nanoelectromechanical system devices, including sensors and actuators, submicron scale crystal materials exhibit mechanical behaviors different from those of macroscale materials, such as size effect, intermittent plastic flow, and strain rate effect, that have become significant topics in mechanics and materials research in recent years. Since dislocations are the carriers of plastic deformation, understanding the dislocation mechanism of submicron crystalline materials is crucial for designing and predicting microdevice reliability. To improve the understanding of abnormal mechanical behavior and dynamic deformation of submicron scale crystal components in processing and application, a two-dimensional discrete dislocation dynamics model of single crystal copper for plastic deformation was established based on the discrete dislocation dynamics theory. The effects of applied load, dislocation interactions, and image force by the free surface on dislocations were all considered in the numerical model, and the cutoff weighted dislocation velocity was also introduced. The model can be used to describe the “dislocation avalanche” effect under stress-controlled modes and interpret the dislocation evolution and mechanical behavior under different loading modes and strain rates, as demonstrated by microcompression experiments. When the external loading modes are force control and displacement control, the stress–strain curves show a step-like character under strain and a sharply serrated character under stress, respectively. The randomization of the dislocation velocity and intermittent activation of dislocation sources are the internal mechanisms of the dislocation avalanche effect. The strain rate sensitivity of the yield stress for single crystal copper changes in the strain rate range of 10²–4 × 10⁴ s⁻¹. The evolution characteristics of the dislocations change from single slip plane to uniform deformations induced by multiple slip planes activation, and the dominant mechanism for the strain rate effect of yield stress is dislocation multiplication rather than dislocation source activation.