The climb of dissociated dislocations in a quenched Cu-13·43 at.% Al alloy

Abstract

The weak-beam electron microscopy technique has been used to study the climb of dissociated dislocations in a Cu-13·43 at.% Al alloy under conditions of super-saturation of vacancies introduced by quenching. The results are similar to those obtained under electron irradiation (interstitial climb) in the same alloy (Cherns, Hirsch and Saka 1980) in that climb may proceed by the nucleation of prismatic loops on the individual partials. The nature of the loops is such as to minimize the total energy of the configuration (partial plus loop) and to maximize their edge component. Interaction with the other partial has been observed, causing the entire dislocation to climb. Additional features observed suggest that climb under quenching is initiated by the nucleation of Frank loops. The detailed configurations also enable climb by absorption of vacancies and interstitials to be distinguished.