Transmission electron microscope in situ deformation experiments were performed on single crystals. It was found that the dislocation mobility was strongly enhanced by electron irradiation, due to a lowering of the lattice friction. An observed reduction in activation energy was explained in terms of a radiation-enhanced dislocation-glide mechanism which involved the non-radiative recombination of injected carriers at electronic levels that were associated with dislocations.

C.Levade, G.Vanderschaeve: Journal of Crystal Growth, 1999, 197[3], 565-70