Experimental Analysis of the Elastic–Plastic Transition During Nanoindentation of Single Crystal Alpha‐Silicon Nitride

The elastic‐to‐plastic transition in single crystal α‐silicon nitride was experimentally characterized through a series of nanoindentation experiments using a spherical indenter. The experimental results provide a quantitative description of the critical shear strengths for the transition, as well as estimates of the shear modulus and nanohardness of the material.