The classical expression for the elastic self-stress and the elastic self-energy of dislocation loops in a linear elastic continuum by line integrals showed singularities and required a cut-off distance ρ along the dislocation line. Somewhat different singularities exist in the core region of straight dislocation lines and required a cut-off radius r0 perpendicular to the dislocation line. These singularities could be avoided when the singular Volterra dislocation line was replaced by a distribution of infinitesimal dislocations. The width of this distribution and the core energy EA could not be derived from continuum theory but depended upon the atomic arrangement in the crystal lattice. It was shown that by using the Peierls model and the concept of Peierls dislocations the values of r0 and EA could be calculated for the different materials and physically realistic values for the cut-off parameters could be obtained.

Atomic Dislocation Core Parameters. G.Schoeck: Physica Status Solidi B, 2010, 247[2], 265–8