The strain field and associated contrast of columnar defects, as revealed by transmission electron microscopy, were studied by using continuum elasticity theory and dynamic diffraction theory. It was shown that, by performing computer simulations of the diffraction contrast, quantitative information could be obtained concerning the magnitude of the displacements that surrounded such defects. The technique was applied to the ion tracks that were produced by heavy-ion bombardment of this superconductor. It was found that the defects caused damage, to the matrix, which was outside of the area of the amorphous columns. The present studies helped to reconcile the observations of unexpectedly large volume fractions of non-superconducting regions in samples after radiation.

Y.Zhu, Z.X.Cai, D.O.Welch: Philosophical Magazine A, 1996, 73[1], 1-10