Specific features of defect structure of a quartz single crystal at early stages of deformation

The paper is concerned with studies of the fracture process in a synthetic quartz single crystal under uniaxial compression at early stages of deformation by three independent techniques, i.e., acoustic emission, X-ray computed  tomography and topography using a synchrotron radiation source. The most intense crack formation was observed in the region of higher internal deformations in the original crystal which were detected by topography. The energy of acoustic emission signals and the volume of the defects formed have been found to be linearly related. This result is of practical significance, since it allows estimation of sizes of fracture regions in situ merely by analyzing acoustic emission data in the cases, when other control techniques are inapplicable (for example, during the operation of industrial facilities).