Channel formation and multiplication in irradiated FCC metals: a 3D dislocation dynamics investigation

Our goal in this work is to investigate post-irradiation tensile deformation of FCC grains using 3D dislocation dynamics (DD) simulations. We focus on irradiation dose conditions where plastic strain is expected to localize into defect-depleted channels. Two DD simulation types are used for treating distinct space and time scale effects. Type-I simulations describe the formation of single dislocation channels at a high resolution (nm). Here, the irradiation-induced defects are described explicitly, in the form of prismatic dislocation loops. Type-II simulations are used to describe the channel multiplication process itself, i.e. at the grain scale (μm). This time, the irradiation-induced defects are treated in a simplified way, taking advantage of Type-I simulation results. Simulated channel spacing is found to depend on three main input parameters: the dose-dependent stress level, grain size and critical cross-slip stress. The results are rationalized in terms of a micro-model based on simple, finite-sized dislocation arrangements. The model is further validated by comparison with available experimental evidence.