Atomic force microscopy observations of in situ deformed materials: application to single crystals and thin films on substrates.

An experimental apparatus which consists of a compression machine interfaced with an atomic force microscope has been realized and allows the in situ observation of a sample surface under compressive stress. Taking advantage of the high resolution offered by this microscopy, the equipment is particularly suited both to analysing the fine slip line structure of deformed single crystals, providing interesting complementary information about plastic mechanisms taking place in the bulk, and to characterizing the mechanical behaviour of thin films on substrates with the investigation of the buckling phenomenon.