Cubic silicon carbide is prone to brittle fracture and subsurface damage during nano-processing, which limits its engineering applications. This study employs molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to construct a nanoindentation model for a spherical diamond indenter indenting a SiC sample and compares the plastic deformation mechanisms under different loading conditions. The results indicate that, upon application of an electron wind force, the pop-in event occurs earlier, the overall load during the loading phase is reduced, the peak von Mises  stress decreases, and the specimen exhibits electroplastic softening. Electron wind  promotes the nucleation and propagation of dislocations, thereby enabling a greater portion of the plastic strain to be accommodated by dislocation slip.
 

3C-SiC,nanoindentation,Molecular dynamics study