Interaction of 〈1 0 0〉 dislocation loops with dislocations studied by dislocation dynamics in α-iron

Abstract Interstitial dislocation loops with Burgers vector of 〈1 0 0〉 type are formed in α-iron under neutron or heavy ion irradiation. As the density and size of these loops increase with radiation dose and temperature, these defects are thought to play a key role in hardening and subsequent embrittlement of iron-based steels. The aim of the present work is to study the pinning strength of the loops on mobile dislocations. Prior to run massive Dislocation Dynamics (DD) simulations involving experimentally representative array of radiation defects and dislocations, the DD code and its parameterization are validated by comparing the individual loop–dislocation reactions with those obtained from direct atomistic Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations. Several loop–dislocation reaction mechanisms are successfully reproduced as well as the values of the unpinning stress to detach mobile dislocations from the defects.