Atomic-scale computer modelling was used to study the formation mechanisms of defect microstructures in the body-centered cubic phase. It was shown that glissile clusters, with parallel Burgers vectors, interacted strongly and could form extended immobile complexes (rafts). Similar attractive interactions existed between dislocation loops and an edge dislocation. These 2 mechanisms were thought to be responsible for the formation of extended complexes of dislocation loops below the extra half-plane of edge dislocations. The interaction energies between loops, and between an edge dislocation and loops, were calculated as a function of distance. The results for long-range interactions were in good agreement with the results of isotropic elasticity calculations.

Study of Loop-Loop and Loop-Edge Dislocation Interactions in BCC Iron. Y.N.Osetsky, D.J.Bacon, F.Gao, A.Serra, B.N.Singh: Journal of Nuclear Materials, 2000, 283-287, 784-8