Anomalous Local Lattice Softening around Kink Boundaries in a Mille-Feuille Structured Dilute Mg–Zn–Y Alloy

We have evaluated local elastic properties at kink boundaries in dilute Mg–Zn–Y alloys based on scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), first-principles calculations, and geometrical phase analysis (GPA) by measuring atomic-scale strain fields around dislocation cores. STEM observations showed that dislocations constituting kink boundaries are extended into Shockley partial dislocations by accompanying solute-enriched stacking faults (SESF). Using GPA analysis, we found that strain distributions around the partial dislocation cores are asymmetric across the Mg matrix and the SESF, showing local elastic heterogeneity. Comparison with the calculated strain field model, it is indicated that the observed asymmetric strain profiles are essentially caused by a softening of the Mg matrix. This anomalous elastic softening can be interpreted as a change in strain energy of dislocations at the kink boundary, which may contribute to the unique deformation mechanism of kink in dilute Mg alloys.