Interaction of ⟨100⟩ and 1/2⟨111⟩ dislocation loops with point defects in ferritic alloys

The interaction between dislocation loops of interstitial nature with (1/2)< 111 > and < 100 > Burgers vectors and point defects in Fe has been studied molecular dynamics. Comparative calculations have been carried out using two interatomic potentials for pure Fe ([G.J. Ackland, M.I. Mendelev, D.J. Srolovitz, S. Han, A.V. Barashev, J. Phys.: Conclens. Mater. 16 (2004) 1; S. Dudarev, P. Derlet, J. Phys.: Conclens. Mater. 17 (2005) 7097]). The results of this study are range and energy of the interaction as functions of size and mutual position of defects. The applied potentials predict somewhat different strain field structure for < 100 > loops and therefore different lengths of interaction. However, both potentials suggest that, contrary to common belief, the distance of cluster-defect interaction within the glide prism of a (1/2)< 111 > cluster is significantly longer than that of a < 100 > cluster of similar size, in spite of the longer Burgers vector in the latter case. (c) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.