Fabrication, microstructure, and mechanical properties of tin nanostructures

Vertically aligned, cylindrical tin nanopillars have been fabricated via an electron beam lithography and electroplating method. Characterization by a non-destructive synchrotron X-ray microdiffraction (μSXRD) technique revealed that the tin nanostructures are body-centered tetragonal and are likely single-crystalline, or consist of a few large grains. The mechanical properties of tin nanopillars with average diameters of 920 nm, 560 nm, and 350 nm were studied by uniaxial compression in a nanoindenter outfitted with a flat punch diamond tip. The results of compression tests reveal strain rate sensitivity for nanoscale tin deformation, which matches closely to the previously reported bulk tin values. However, unlike bulk, tin nanopillars exhibit size-dependent flow stresses where smaller diameter specimens exhibit greater attained strengths. The observed size-dependence matches closely to that previously reported for single-crystalline face centered cubic metals at the nanoscale. μSXRD data was used to compare the dislocation density between as-fabricated and deformed tin nanopillars. Results of this comparison suggest that there is no measurable accumulation of dislocations within deformed tin nanopillars.