The effects of cascade damage and self-ion injection on the swelling of irradiated materials

Abstract

The effects on the void swelling of irradiated materials of cascade damage and (for self-ion bombardment) of self-ion injection are derived in a unified manner by means of rate theory. The collapse of vacancy clusters within cascades to form vacancy edge dislocation loops follows the general model investigated by Bullough, Eyre and Krishan, although in contrast with this previous development that given here is entirely analytical. The dependence upon macroscopic measurable quantities is thereby exposed and the complementary effects of cascade damage and self-ion injection are made evident.