Vacancy interaction with glissile interstitial clusters in bcc metals

The interaction between a glissile cluster of self-interstitial atoms and a vacancy has been studied in α-Fe by atomistic modelling and elasticity theory. It was found that vacancies can annihilate only with the cluster edge. Vacancies inside the cluster glide prism do not annihilate with interstitials but affect the cluster dynamic properties. Depending on the cluster size and ambient temperature, these vacancies reduce or even prevent cluster motion. Qualitative differences in the results of atomistic and elasticity theory approaches were found, thereby demonstrating the need for the atomistic approach.