  In this work, we examine material phenomena in glassy polymers during
Berkovich nanoindentation, a form of locally imposed deformation. We consider
both, thermoplastics (PC and PMMA) and thermosets (partially and maximally
crosslinked SU-8 epoxy). Visco-elasto-plastic (VEP) effects occur
simultaneously, from the onset of glassy polymer nanoindentation. Visual
observation via in-situ nanoindentation indicates mainly sink-in during
loading, with pile-up after unloading. Scanning Probe Microscopy (SPM)
indicates significant volume conserving upflow (below the tip) for these
compliant materials, with high geometric fractional contact depth at maximum
displacement (including blunt height, h_b), (h_c+h_b)/(h_m+h_b)~0.9.
Considering the Berkovich tip as a family of cones, with cone angles ranging
over the included angles of the tip, enables contact area calculation and a
visual depiction of the upflow and the displacement paths below the tip. The
combination of SPM and P-h data, indicates a mixed comparison with uniaxial
deformation, with conventionally defined hardness, H<3*sig_y and
nanoindentation modulus E_N>E. By rationally removing viscoelastic (VE) effects
during loading, we find instant, zero-time hardness H_L0>3*sig_y.
Constraint-induced VE recovery of the highly yielded tip-apex region is
consistent with the significant constraint effects on the conventionally
defined H_L0 and E_N for compliant materials such as glassy polymers.
