INSITU OBSERVATION OF CASCADE DAMAGE UNDER HEAVY-ION IRRADIATION

Collision cascades initiated from high energy PKAs produce defect clusters in crystalline solids irradiated with fast neutrons or energetic ions. They will affect not only an early stage of microstructuraI evolution but that at high fluence by changing free defect survival rate. To elucidate fundamental processes of cascade damage evolution, in situ observation of microstructure in FCC metals under heavy ion irradiation has been carried out using a combined facility of a 400 kV accelerator and a 200 kV transmission electron microscope installed in the University of Tokyo, Tokai. Defect clusters produced by individual energetic ions are observed during irradiation to examine subcascade formation, interaction of point-defects from cascade damage and related point-defect processes. © 1992, Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. All rights reserved.