Molecular dynamics computer simulation results were obtained for the interaction between an edge dislocation and a self-interstitial atom loop with Burgers vectors of b = ½[1¯11] and b = ½[¯111], respectively; introduced into a body-centered cubic Fe crystal. Shear stresses of several different magnitudes were then applied so that the dislocation moved to meet the self-interstitial atom loop. A general observation was that self-interstitial atom loops with a diameter of about 2nm could be obstacles to dislocation motion, and that the strength - as obstacles to dislocation motion - depended upon the applied stress. The origin of the stress-dependent strength could be explained athermally by using the elastic theory of dislocation interaction. In most cases, the self-interstitial atom loops were absorbed by the edge dislocations to form a large super-jog after the interactions. This suggested the possibility of localized deformation of irradiated body-centered cubic Fe due to the formation of dislocation channelling.

Interaction Analysis between Edge Dislocation and Self Interstitial Type Dislocation Loop in BCC Iron Using Molecular Dynamics. A.Nomoto, N.Soneda, A.Takahashi, S.Ishino: Materials Transactions, 2005, 46[3], 463-8