Length scales and scaling laws for dislocation cells developed during monotonic deformation of (001) nickel single crystal

An extensive collection of experimental data was gathered to improve the well-known self-organization process of dislocation resulting from a tensile strain. Statistical analyses by Transmission Electronic Microcopy were performed over a large area in order to obtain additional insights into the different relationships between the structural parameters and the flow stress. A scaling behaviour was established for the size of quasi equiaxed dislocation cells over a large plastic strain range. Additionally, the dislocation organization reveals a variety of scaling laws relative to shear stress, cell size, dislocation wall thickness and dislocation densities in dislocation walls and cells. The physical bases of these laws were demonstrated and their consequences on plastic strain behaviour are discussed. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.