Direct observation of size scaling and elastic interaction between nano-scale defects in collision cascades

Abstract

Using in-situ transmission electron microscopy, we have directly observed nano-scale defects formed in ultra-high purity tungsten by low-dose high energy self-ion irradiation at 30K. At cryogenic temperature lattice defects have reduced mobility, so these microscope observations offer a window on the initial, primary damage caused by individual collision cascade events. Electron microscope images provide direct evidence for a power-law size distribution of nano-scale defects formed in high-energy cascades, with an upper size limit independent of the incident ion energy, as predicted by Sand et al. [Eur. Phys. Lett., 103:46003, (2013)]. Furthermore, the analysis of pair distribution functions of defects observed in the micrographs shows significant intra-cascade spatial correlations consistent with strong elastic interaction between the defects.

References in corpus (1)

• Spatial ordering of nano-dislocation loops in ion-irradiated materials

Cited by in corpus (4)

• Evolution of small defect clusters in ion-irradiated 3C-SiC: combined cluster dynamics modeling and experimental study
• Dislocation density transients and saturation in irradiated zirconium
• Simulated TEM imaging of a heavily irradiated metal
• Towards quantitative inference of nanoscale defects in irradiated metals and alloys