Slow plastic creep of 2D dusty plasma solids

TL;DR

This study investigates the slow plastic creep behavior of 2D dusty plasma solids through experiments and simulations, revealing the microscopic dislocation dynamics responsible for macroscopic deformation.

Contribution

It provides new experimental and simulation data linking microscopic dislocation processes to the macroscopic creep response in 2D dusty plasma solids.

Findings

Shear rate dependence exponents: α=1.15, β=2.4

Dislocation pair formation and glide dominate creep

Quantitative link between microscopic processes and macroscopic response

Abstract

We report complex plasma experiments, assisted by numerical simulations, providing an alternative qualitative link between the macroscopic response of polycrystalline solid matter to small shearing forces and the possible underlying microscopic processes. In the stationary creep regime we have determined the exponents of the shear rate dependence of the shear stress and defect density, being $\alpha = 1.15 \pm 0.1$ and $\beta = 2.4 \pm 0.4$, respectively. We show that the formation and rapid glide motion of dislocation pairs in the lattice are dominant processes.