Monodefect Annealing Kinetics

Abstract

The range of validity of the diffusion equation in describing point-defect annealing kinetics is examined, and it is concluded that even for sinks of atomic dimensions, the solutions of the diffusion equation which correspond to zero thermal excess concentration at sink sites give a good account of the annealing behavior. The annealing of point defects to stacking-fault tetrahedra, dislocation loops, and to dislocations which are allowed to climb, is then treated by means of equations which describe the annealing in the presence of time-dependent sink properties, using also an electrostatic approximation to sink efficiencies. Finally, the problem of void stability is discussed.