Climb-Dissociated Dislocations in Monazite at Low Temperature

Three types of climb-dissociated partial dislocations were observed by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy in monazite (LaPO₄) that was indented at room temperature. Two types were found on twin boundaries, and a third in the lattice. Formation mechanisms are discussed. Glide of climb-dissociated partial dislocations that is allowed by stacking fault migration is considered.     

The evolution of machining-induced surface of single-crystal FCC copper via nanoindentation

The physical properties of the machining-induced new surface depend on the performance of the initial defect surface and deformed layer in the subsurface of the bulk material. In this paper, three-dimensional molecular dynamics simulations of nanoindentation are preformed on the single-point diamond turning surface of single-crystal copper comparing with that of pristine single-crystal face-centered cubic copper. The simulation results indicate that the nucleation of dislocations in the nanoindentation test on the machining-induced surface and pristine single-crystal copper is different. The dislocation embryos are gradually developed from the sites of homogeneous random nucleation around the indenter in the pristine single-crystal specimen, while the dislocation embryos derived from the vacancy-related defects are distributed in the damage layer of the subsurface beneath the machining-induced surface. The results show that the hardness of the machining-induced surface is softer than that of pristine single-crystal copper. Then, the nanocutting simulations are performed along different crystal orientations on the same crystal surface. It is shown that the crystal orientation directly influences the dislocation formation and distribution of the machining-induced surface. The crystal orientation of nanocutting is further verified to affect both residual defect generations and their propagation directions which are important in assessing the change of mechanical properties, such as hardness and Young''s modulus, after nanocutting process.     

A kinetics formulation for low-temperature plasticity

The mechanism of low-temperature plastic deformation is controlled by thermally activated dislocation movements. An evolutionary constitutive law based on the principles of deformation kinetics is described in this article. The constitutive law is expressed with a sinh function designed for computational efficiency. It is derived from rigorously defined kinetics principles. The approximation involved in the sinh function is defined so that in applications an exact evaluation can be made of the validity limits. The system of the constitutive law and the external constraints lead to the operational equations. Applications are developed for constant strain-rate loading, constant stress-rate loading, stress relaxation, creep, and ratchetting processes. The analysis provides a unified treatment for low-temperature plastic deformation.     

Determining the Burgers vectors and elastic strain energies of interface dislocation arrays using anisotropic elasticity theory

A formalism for describing interface dislocation arrays linking the Frank–Bilby equation and anisotropic elasticity theory under the condition of vanishing far-field stresses is developed. The present approach enables the determination of a unique reference state for interface misfit dislocations, within which the Burgers vectors of individual dislocations are defined and allows for the unequal partitioning of elastic fields between neighboring crystals. The elastic strain energies of interface dislocation arrays are computed using solutions for short-range elastic fields. Examples of applications to simple interfaces are given, namely symmetric tilt and twist grain boundaries, as well as a pure misfit heterophase interface.     

Device assessment of the electrical activity of threading dislocations in strained Ge epitaxial layers

It is shown that the high density of threading dislocations (TDs) and, more specifically, the high density of point defects associated with it and present in our strained Ge epitaxial layers on a Si_0.2Ge_0.8 relaxed buffer layer degrades the mobility and the leakage current of pMOSFETs and p⁺n junctions fabricated therein. Annealing in the range 550–650 °C prior to gate stack deposition improves the device performance, although there is no marked change in the TD density. From this, it is concluded that the annealing may reduce the density of point defects grown in during the epitaxial deposition.     

Microstructures in Al-richγ-TiAl strained in the domain of temperature of flow stress anomalies

The plastic behaviour of single-phaseγ-TiAl poses a certain number of fundamental problems as to the origin of the flow stress anomaly and to how this is related to dislocation properties. Understanding these questions is of significant interest in the investigations of flow stress anomalies in intermetallics and in other materials. Also, it may reveal useful in the study of theγ-based lamellar alloys. The present contribution accounts for an investigation of mechanical properties and microstructural organization conducted in Al-richγ-TiAl single crystals oriented to activate single slip. Three separate topics are addressed.

Direct observation of the interaction between vortices and dislocations in superconducting crystals by a cryo-Lorentz EM (interaction between vortices and dislocations)

Quantized magnetic flux lines (vortices) in a Nb foil were directly observed in different magnetic fields up to 200 G by a cryo-Lorentz electron microscope. The interaction of vortices with dislocations in the specimen was examined and clarified; edge-on dislocations weakly pin individual vortices at magnetic fields below 100 G. In higher magnetic fields the formation of a regular hexagonal vortex lattice started preferentially at in-plane dislocations. At 200 G the Abrikosov vortex lattice was formed with small domains, whose centre included the dislocations, showing their important role on the formation of the vortex lattice. For a NbTi foil no clear image of vortices could be seen, because the surface was rough due to the formation of fine grains and precipitates.     

Computer simulation of defects and radiation damage

In this paper, we describe the computer simulation technique and its application to the study of radiation damage. Details of two important methods: the static and the dynamic methods have been discussed. Applications to the study of point defect formation and stability, their clusters, diffusion, dislocations and dislocation-point defect interaction are discussed drawing from our own work wherever possible. A short mention is made of the importance of the interatomic potential. Examples for the case of magnesium and other hcp metals, bcc iron and fcc Ni are cited and numbers for various quantities like formation energy, dipole tensor, interaction energy etc are quoted.