Atomic-scale plasticity in the presence of Frank loops

Abstract

The different reactions between edge or screw dislocations and interstitial Frank loops were studied by means of molecular dynamics simulations. The calculations were performed at 600 K using an embedded atom method (EAM) potential describing a model FCC material with a low stacking fault energy. An interaction matrix that provides the corresponding interaction strength was determined. In an attempt to investigate the role of pile-ups, simulations with either one or two dislocations in the cell were performed. We find that screw and edge dislocations behave very differently. Edge dislocations shear Frank loops in two out of three cases, while screw dislocations systematically unfault Frank loops by mechanisms that involve cross-slip. After unfaulting, they are strongly pinned by the formation of extended helical turns. The simulations show an original unpinning effect that leads to clear band broadening. This process involves the junction of two screw dislocations around a helical turn (arm-exchange) and the transfer of a dislocation from its initial glide plane to an upper glide plane (elevator effect).