Molecular dynamics computer simulation studies were made of 25keV displacement cascades at low temperatures. At this energy, the initial splitting of a cascade into sub-cascades was observed. It was shown that, in metals at low temperatures, displacement cascades could lead to the formation of both vacancy and interstitial dislocation loops. A new mechanism for defect production was proposed which was based upon the observation of interstitial prismatic dislocation loop punching from cascades at 10K. It was also shown that, below the sub-cascade threshold, atomic mixing in the cascade depended upon the recoil energy. A mixing efficiency was deduced that was proportional to the square root of the recoil energy.

T.Diaz de la Rubia, M.W.Guinan: Radiation Effects and Defects in Solids, 1994, 129[1-2], 31-9