PLASTIC DEFORMATION AND MICROHARDNESS OF Pb1-xYbxTe SINGLE CRYSTALS UNDER QUASI-STATIC AND SCLEROMETRIC INDENTATION

In this work, the microhardness and specificity of deformation of Pb1-xYbxTe single crystals by quasi-static and sclerometric indentation are studied. It is shown that these crystals are distinguished by high plasticity and low microhardness both under indentation and under the movement of the indenter. An opinion is expressed that the mechanism of crystal structure compaction is involved in mass transfer during the formation of an imprint, along with the dislocation mechanism. Crystals have low sclerometric anisotropy of hardness along different crystallographic directions on the (001) plane, which is typical for crystals of a cubic system. The jump-like mechanism of the deformation process during the movement of the indenter, which is characteristic of crystals of different types, is confirmed.