It was found that 180keV Ni+ ions promoted void nucleation, growth and shrinkage when they bombarded Ni substrates at temperatures of between 600 and 750C. Growth continued up to fluences of about 3 x 1021/m2 and was followed by shrinkage. At 650 and 700C, there were increasing void number densities at higher fluences. Voids formed at 650C, when the bombardment was carried out at temperatures of between 25 and 550C. They decreased in size and number density, and finally disappeared after a fluence of about 2 x 1021/m2 at the lower temperature. The observations were explained by using a rate theory which was modified so as to include interstitials which were injected by the ion beam, a changing dislocation density in the bombardment-damaged layer, and sputtering of the surface by the ion beam.

J.K.Steele, D.I.Potter: Journal of Nuclear Materials, 1995, 218[2], 95-107