Self-interstitial atom clusters were created in metals under fast neutron irradiation and were believed to interact with dislocations and increase the flow stress. Atomic-scale computer simulations were used here in order to investigate the dynamic interaction between an edge dislocation and small self-interstitial atom loops that did not intersect the dislocation glide plane and whose Burgers vector was parallel to it. Such loops could be dragged by a moving dislocation and this effect was simulated as a function of temperature and loop size, spacing, stand-off distance and Burgers vector orientation. The results could be understood in terms of the 1-dimensional mobility of self-interstitial atom loops.

Dynamics of Drag of Self-Interstitial Clusters by an Edge Dislocation in Iron. Z.Rong, D.Bacon, Y.Osetsky: Materials Science and Engineering A, 2005, 400-401, 378-81