Abstract
Recent computer simulation studies have shown that small clusters of selfinterstitial atoms (SIAs) formed in displacement cascades consist of crowdions and are highly mobile in the crowdion direction. In the present work, we use molecular dynamics to investigate whether small perfect vacancy loops formed in cascades in alpha-Fe and Cu are also mobile. Loops containing more than about 30 vacancies in Fe are found to produce atomic displacements during annealing, due to thermally activated movement in the direction of their Burgers vector that is qualitatively similar to the mechanism of SIA cluster motion. Although vacancy clusters are slightly less mobile than SIA clusters under the same conditions, their mobility is significantly higher than that of the monovacancy. The motion of vacancy loops in Cu does not occur because they transform into sessile configurations similar to stacking-fault tetrahedra. These results point to the possibly important contribution of vacancy loop mobility to the difference in radiation damage between bcc and fcc metals, and between fcc metals with different stacking-fault energies.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
