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Recent developments in micromechanical testing have allowed for the efficient evaluation of radiation effects in micron-scale volumes of ion-irradiated materials. In this study, both nanoindentation and in situ SEM microcompression testing are carried out on 10 dpa proton beam irradiated 304 stainless steel to assess radiation hardening and radiation-induced deformation mechanisms in the material. Using a focused ion beam (FIB), arrays of 2 μm x 2 μm cross-section microcompression pillars are fabricated in multiple dose regimes within the same grain, providing dose-dependent behavior in a single crystal orientation. Analysis of the microcompression load-displacement data and real-time SEM imaging during testing indicates significant hardening, as well as increased localization of deformation in the irradiated material. Although nanoindentation results suggest that irradiation hardening saturates at low doses, microcompression results indicate that the pillar yield stress continues to rise with dose above 10 dpa in the tested orientation.

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