Radiation damage near grain boundaries

Abstract

Large-scale molecular dynamics of cascade production of the primary damage state are performed in nanocrystalline nickel with an average grain diameter of 12 nm and primary knock-on atom kinetic energies ranging from 5 to 30 keV. The role of the grain boundary during the cascade production of irradiated NC Ni is discussed in terms of grain-boundary structure. It is shown that regions of misfit in the grain boundaries can absorb self-interstitials and that stacking-fault tetrahedra are formed in the neighbourhood of the grain boundary.

Acknowledgements

M. S. acknowledges the financial support of the Bundesamt fuer Bildung und Wissenschaft (grant 98.0098) and M. V. acknowledges the financial support of the Swiss National Science Foundation (grant 2000-061837.00).

Notes

† Email: [email protected].

Additional information

Notes on contributors

H. Van Swygenhoven†

† Email: [email protected].