The size and distribution of end-of-range dislocation loops, in material that had been implanted (50keV Si, 1016/cm2) and annealed (750C) for various times, were studied by means of transmission electron microscopy. It was found, on the basis of density and size measurements, that the normalized distribution profile of the dislocation loops was invariant with time. The profile was quite different to the usual distribution profile of Ostwald ripening in grain growth and precipitate coarsening. Measurements of the total numbers of interstitials that were bound to extrinsic loops showed that the ripening was a conservative process. The form of a particular distribution profile was attributed to the stress field that was associated with the dislocation loops.

G.Z.Pan, K.N.Tu, S.Prussin: Applied Physics Letters, 1996, 68[12], 1654-6