On the interpretation of dislocation-loop growth during in-situ high-voltage Electron Microscopy

Abstract

During in-situ radiation damage experiments aiming on the investigation of vacancy-migration properties interstitial-type dislocation loops are used as probes monitoring the development of the point defect concentrations. The temperature dependence of the loop-growth rate v is analyzed in terms of reaction-rate theory yielding information on the vacancy migration enthalpy. The relation between v and the point-defect production rate P provides a critical test of such a treatment since it is sensitive to the defect reactions which are dominant. If mutual recombination of vacancies and interstitials is the dominant reaction, vαP0.5 holds. If, however, annihilation of the defects at unsaturable sinks determines the concentrations, a linear relationship vαP is expected.Detailed studies in pure bcc-metals yielded vαPx with 0.7≾×≾1.0 showing that besides recombination of vacancies and interstitials annihilation at sinks plays an important role in the concentration development which has properly to be incorporated into the rate equations.