Microscopic Observation of Plastic Deformation of Polycrystalline Aluminum by Laser Scanning Microscope

Free surface of polycrystalline metal becomes roughened after plastic deformation. The surface roughening is closely related to the inhomogeneity of polycrystalline metals, that is, to the inhomogeneous plastic deformation of respective grains. In the present study, inhomogeneous deformation on the free surface of polycrystalline aluminum specimen during uniaxial tension is studied. The inhomogeneous deformation of grains in the central area of the free surface of specimen is observed by the laser scanning microscope, while the inhomogeneous deformation perpendicular to the surface is studied by the laser scanning microscope as well as the stylus measuring instrument. It is shown that the surface roughness and the strain of respective grains increase with the applied strain. Discussions are made on the change in the surface roughness, the strain in each grain and the slip-line angles with the applied strain.