E-beam-enhanced solid-state mechanical amorphization of alpha-quartz: Reducing deformation barrier via localized excess electrons as mobile anions

Under hydrostatic pressure, alpha-quartz undergoes solid-state mechanical amorphization wherein the interpenetration of SiO4 tetrahedra occurs and the material loses crystallinity. This phase transformation requires a high hydrostatic pressure of 14 GPa because the repulsive forces resulting from the ionic nature of the Si-O bonds prevent the severe distortion of the atomic configuration. Herein, we experimentally and computationally demonstrate that e-beam irradiation changes the nature of the interatomic bonds in alpha-quartz and enhances the solid-state mechanical amorphization at nanoscale. Specifically, during in situ uniaxial compression, a larger permanent deformation occurs in alpha-quartz micropillars compressed during e-beam irradiation than in those without e-beam irradiation. Microstructural analysis reveals that the large permanent deformation under e-beam irradiation originates from the enhanced mechanical amorphization of alpha-quartz and the subsequent viscoplastic deformation of the amorphized region. Further, atomic-scale simulations suggest that the delocalized excess electrons introduced by e-beam irradiation move to highly distorted atomic configurations and alleviate the repulsive force, thus reducing the barrier to the solid-state mechanical amorphization. These findings deepen our understanding of electron-matter interactions and can be extended to new glass forming and processing technologies at nano- and microscale.