It was recalled that the relevance of 1-dimensionally gliding clusters, to an understanding of damage accumulation by displacement cascades, had been underlined by production bias model results. The properties and mobilities of isolated clusters of vacancies and self-interstitials were studied by means of molecular dynamics, and valuable information was obtained with regard to their diffusion characteristics. It was suggested that the next step in understanding radiation damage should include possible reactions of the clusters with other clusters and dislocations. The first results of a molecular dynamics study of interactions between glissile interstitial clusters and small dislocation loops in α-Fe and Cu were presented. Various types of interaction, between clusters having sizes ranging from 12 to 91 defects, were studied here for temperatures ranging from 300 to 1000K. As a result of inter-cluster interactions, both glissile and sessile clusters could be obtained. This depended upon the metal, reaction-type and cluster size. In general, the tendency to form sessile clusters increased for larger clusters, and was higher in Cu.

Interactions between Mobile Dislocation Loops in Cu and α-Fe. Y.N.Osetsky, A.Serra, V.Priego: Journal of Nuclear Materials, 2000, 276, 202-12