Dislocation arrangements resulting from the elaboration process of gas pressure sintered silicon nitride were investigated by transmission electron microscopy. Dislocations with Burgers vector b = 1/3<11•0> were found to be dissociated in a {11•0} prismatic plane. Reactions between dislocations with Burgers vector b = 1/3[11•0], [00•1], and 1/3[1¯2•3] were observed. Stability calculations considering elastic anisotropy showed that a reaction between dislocations with Burgers vectors b = [00•1] and b = 1/3<11•0> leading to a junction dislocation with Burgers vector b = 1/3<11•3> was always possible.

Dislocation Sub-Boundaries in As-Grown β-Silicon Nitride. X.Milhet, H.Garem, J.L.Demenet, J.Rabier: Physica Status Solidi A, 2002, 193[2], 377-89