Mechanism for thermal conductivity in energetic displacement cascades

Abstract

Temperature relaxation inside and outside the energetic displacement cascade in fast neutron-irradiated metals is consistently described. The characteristic time of the energy transfer between phonons and electrons in the damaged area is calculated. The space–time temperature distribution in the cascade damaged area in Fe and Ni is presented. The electron–phonon coupling is shown to play an important role in the evolution of the damaged area due to non-equilibrium between the local phonon and electron systems at the beginning of the cooling phase of the displacement cascade.

Keywords:

• displacement cascades
• neutron-irradiated metals
• cascade phases
• mechanism for thermal conductivity
• electronic and phononic thermal conductivity

Acknowledgments

We acknowledge Professor V.M. Chernov for his helpful discussions and suggestions.