Inhomogeneity of deformation of solids at the nanometer level

A new method for processing interferometrically recorded deformation data has been implemented for studying an inhomogeneity in the rate and parameters of deformation jumps at the nanostructure level, which provides detection of deformation jumps of less than 300 nm. It is shown that the lower limit for deformation jumps lies in the range 10–30 nm for aluminum and is 130 nm for amorphous polymer (poly(methyl methacrylate)). It is assumed that the sizes of jumps correspond to scales of ordered structures, as was previously established for higher level structures. The results obtained make it possible to investigate more thoroughly the multilevel character of deformation and to evaluate the sizes of the nanostructural units, their evolution during deformation and under the effect of external fields, as well as their relation to the microscopic and macroscopic inhomogeneities of deformation.