By using a Tersoff-type empirical potential energy function, the free energy of formation of micro-voids in samples which contained 24 or 57 vacancies was calculated at 1000K as a function of externally applied hydrostatic stresses which ranged from -10kbar (tensile) to 10kbar (compressive). The results indicated that larger micro-voids were more sensitive to an applied stress than were smaller ones.

N.Cuendet, T.Halicioglu, W.A.Tiller: Applied Physics Letters, 1996, 69[26], 4071