The threshold displacement energies for Si and C atoms in the β phase at 300K were determined, by means of molecular dynamics simulations, for the [001], [110], [111] and  [¯1¯1¯1] directions. The existence of recombination barriers, which permitted the formation of metastable defects below the threshold, was observed. Displacement cascades produced by both C and Si recoils with energies ranging from 0.5 to 5 and 8keV, respectively, were also simulated; at both 300 and 1300K. Their analysis, together with the analysis of damage accumulation at 1300K, revealed that the 2 sub-lattices exhibited contrasting responses to irradiation. Thus, whereas only a little damage was produced on the so-called ductile Si sub-lattice, many defects accumulated on the much more so-called fragile C sub-lattice. A low defect mobility prevented the study of defect evolution via molecular dynamics simulations.

Analysis of Displacement Cascades and Threshold Displacement Energies in β-SiC. J.M.Perlado, L.Malerba, A.Sanchez-Rubio, T.Diaz de la Rubia: Journal of Nuclear Materials, 2000, 276, 235-42