The nanomechanical properties and nanoindentation responses of bismuth selenide (Bi2Se3) thin films are investigated in this study. The Bi2Se3 thin films are deposited on c-plane sapphire substrates using pulsed laser… Click to show full abstract
The nanomechanical properties and nanoindentation responses of bismuth selenide (Bi2Se3) thin films are investigated in this study. The Bi2Se3 thin films are deposited on c-plane sapphire substrates using pulsed laser deposition. The microstructural properties of Bi2Se3 thin films are analyzed by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD). The XRD results indicated that Bi2Se3 thin films are exhibited the hexagonal crystal structure with a c-axis preferred growth orientation. Nanoindentation results showed the multiple “pop-ins” displayed in the loading segments of the load-displacement curves, suggesting that the deformation mechanisms in the hexagonal-structured Bi2Se3 films might have been governed by the nucleation and propagation of dislocations. Further, an energetic estimation of nanoindentation-induced dislocation associated with the observed pop-in effects was made using the classical dislocation theory.
               
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