A new deformation mechanism of amorphous/amorphous laminates at deep nanoscale

Abstract The plastic deformation and mechanical response of ZrCu/ZrCuNiAlSi amorphous/amorphous nanolaminates (A/ANLs) with various individual layer thickness (h) were investigated by nanoindentation test. As h decreases, deformation behavior transformed from shear-banding events to homogeneous co-deformation of the constitute layers. The homogeneous deformed A/ANLs exhibit the maximum shear transformation zone volume and unexpected minimum strain rate sensitivity m, suggesting a distinct deformation mechanism from others. Interface effected zones that involved in the deformation of the A/ANLs with minimum h but not those with higher h was proposed to play a dominating role in determining the homogeneous deformation and the unusual thermally activated parameters.