Fluctuation of point defect reactions observed during the growth of dislocation loops under electron irradiation

Abstract

During the growth of angular interstitial-type faulted dislocation loops in copper under electron irradiation in a high voltage electron microscope, generation and motion of unit jogs along the periphery of the loops are observed. This is a rare case of detection of the fluctuation of a solid state reaction rather than its statistical average. The average frequency of the generation of unit jogs is found to be proportional to the product of concentration and jump rate of point defects estimated by reaction kinetics theory. As a result of the depletion of point defects after the formation of a unit jog, the generation of unit jogs is not perfectly random, but deviates towards regular periodic generation.