The motion of grain boundaries, under the influence of an electron beam, was studied by means of  in situ  transmission electron microscopy. The vibrational motion of grain boundaries was observed at voltages of between 200 and 1000kV. However, it decreased at temperatures above ambient. The orientational relationships between the crystals on each side of the boundary were determined for grain boundaries which exhibited the vibrational motion. It was deduced that point defects that were produced by electron irradiation were responsible for this phenomenon.

K.Sasaki, H.Saka, T.Arii: Materials Transactions, 1996, 37[5], 1037-43 (see also Materials Science Forum, 1996, 207-209, 549-52)