Three-dimensional discrete dislocation dynamics simulations of dislocation loops coarsening by vacancy bulk diffusion were reported. The calculation was based upon a model which coupled the diffusion theory of vacancies to the discrete dislocation dynamics in order to obtain the climb rate of the dislocation segments. Calculations of isolated loops agreed with experimental observations, i.e. loops shrank or expanded; depending upon their type and vacancy supersaturation. When an array of dislocation loops of various sizes was considered, and the total number of vacancies in the simulation was maintained constant, the largest dislocations were found to increase in size at the expense of small ones, which disappeared via the Ostwald ripening process.

Annealing of Dislocation Loops in Dislocation Dynamics Simulations. D.Mordehai, E.Clouet, M.Fivel, M.Verdier: IOP Conference Series - Materials Science and Engineering, 2009, 3[1], 012001