Nucleation of interstitial dislocation loops in metals under electron irradiation

Abstract

A hybrid model of the dislocation loop nucleation in metals during electron irradiation is pro� posed. The model is based on the kinetic diffusion mechanism of formation and growth of threedimensional interstitial atomic clusters and the thermodynamic mechanism of intermittent transformation of these clus� ters in dislocation loops. The existence of critical input rate GC of freely migrating point defects is established. When G G C , the number of interstitial atoms increases (n 0 ≥ 4). By analyzing experimental data for the electronirradiated aluminum, it is shown that, using the formulas of the proposed model, one can cal� culate all parameters of nucleation of interstitial dislocation loops at a given magnitude of the input rate of freely migrating defects without performing experimental studies.