THE FORMATION OF DISLOCATION LOOPS IN COPPER DURING NEUTRON IRRADIATION

Journal Article · Thu Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1962 · Phil. Mag.

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1080/14786436208211863· OSTI ID:4838682

Makin, M J; Whapham, A D; Minter, F H

The thin film transmission electron microscope technique was used to make a quantitative study of neutron damage in copper. The density of observable defect clusters was measured as a fanction of diameter after various neutron doses between 0.61 x 10/sup 18/ and 3.79 x 10/sup 16/ fast n cm-/sup -2/. The total number of clusters and point defects in the visible damage is approximately linear with dose and indicates that --50 point defect pairs are formed per primary knock-on atom. The data were compared with the calculated results of various models of nucleation and growth and the results show that the homogeneous theory of nucleation by the chance collision of isolated point defects does not fit the experimental evidence. A simple heterogeneous theory in which the nuclei for the loops are formed directly by the irradiation can be fitted to the results, however, and it is suggested that nuclei are formed in the displacement spikes by the primary knock-on atoms. The concept of a critical nucleus size is introduced to account for the experimental observations on the formation of loops in various metals bombarded with different particles. (auth)

• Research Organization: Atomic Energy Research Establishment, Harwell, Berks, Eng.
• NSA Number: NSA-16-021102
• OSTI ID: 4838682
• Report Number(s): AERE-R-3770
• Journal Information: Phil. Mag., Journal Name: Phil. Mag. Vol. Vol: (8), 7
• Country of Publication: United Kingdom
• Language: English

Related Subjects

BEAMS
CHARGED PARTICLES
COLLISIONS
COPPER
DEFECTS
DISTRIBUTION
ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
IRRADIATION
LATTICES
LIQUID CLUSTERS
MATHEMATICS
MEASURED VALUES
METALS
METALS, CERAMICS, AND OTHER MATERIALS
NEUTRON BEAMS
NUCLEATION
POINT DEFECTS
QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS
QUANTITY RATIO
RADIATION EFFECTS
TRANSIENTS
VOLUME