Atomic force microscopy of slip lines in FeAl

Fe–40 at. % Al–0.1 at. % B specimens were polished flat, strained at room temperature, and examined in an atomic force microscope. The angles of height contours perpendicular to the slip lines were interpreted as shear strains and were statistically evaluated. The frequency distributions of these shear strains correlated well with the macroscopic strains. The maximum shear strains found were not much larger than the macroscopic strains. In particular, no steep slip steps corresponding to large local shears were found.