Observations were made, of a new type of alteration process in the Burgers vectors of dislocations, by means of in situ transmission electron microscopy. Small interstitial-type perfect dislocation loops in body-centered cubic Fe, with diameters of less than about 50nm, were transformed from a ½<111> loop into another ½<111> one or into an energetically unfavorable <100> one. Moreover, a <100> loop was transformed into a ½<111> one. These transformations occurred upon high-energy electron irradiation or during simple heating without contact with external dislocations.

Changes in the Burgers Vector of Perfect Dislocation Loops without Contact with the External Dislocations. K.Arakawa, M.Hatanaka, E.Kuramoto, K.Ono, H.Mori: Physical Review Letters, 2006, 96[12], 125506 (4pp)