Using coupled micropillar compression and micro-Laue diffraction to investigate deformation mechanisms in a complex metallic alloy Al13Co4

<p>In this investigation, we have used <em>in-situ</em> micro-Laue diffraction combined with micropillar compression of focused ion beam milled Al₁₃Co₄ complex metallic alloy to study the evolution of deformation in Al₁₃Co₄. Streaking of the Laue spots showed that the onset of plastic flow occured at stresses as low as 0.8&nbsp;GPa, although macroscopic yield only becomes apparent at 2&nbsp;GPa. The measured misorientations, obtained from peak splitting, enabled the geometrically necessary dislocation density to be estimated as 1.1 x 10¹³&nbsp;m^-2.</p>