Mechanical characteristics of nanocrystalline layers containing nanotwins induced by nanogrinding of soft-brittle CdZnTe single crystals

Nanocrystalline layers containing nanotwins induced under nanogrinding of soft-brittle cadmium zinc telluride single crystals exhibit higher hardness, ductility and fracture resistance, as well as a lower friction coefficient. This is different from the damaged layer of hard-brittle silicon semiconductors and usually nanocrystalline metals. The formation mechanism of nanotwins is interpreted by the undeformed chip thickness induced grinding energy. Compressive stress is formed in the nanocrsytalline layer containing nanotwins, whereas tensile stress is generated in that without nanotwins. (C) 2012 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.