The incorporation of basal slip dislocations in {10 1 2} twins in zinc crystals

An electron microscope investigation has been made of the decomposition of ⅓⟨1120⟩ slip dislocations when they penetrate {1012} twin boundaries in zinc. The results show that basal dislocations decompose into an integral number of zonal twinning dislocations and a glissile slip dislocation in the twin. The previously unreported {1100}; ⅓⟨1123⟩ slip system is shown to be operative in {1012} deformation twins in zinc and is a direct result of the decomposition of basal dislocations on penetrating twin boundaries.