Dislocation formation from the free-surface of a two-phase solid

The introduction, from the matrix free-surface, of dislocations in the interfaces of strained precipitates embedded in a semi-infinite matrix has been theoretically investigated. For two consecutive interfaces between the matrix and two neighboring precipitates, the different equilibrium positions of two edge dislocations have been determined versus the misfit strain, the precipitate/precipitate and precipitate/free-surface distances, when each dislocation is gliding in a different interface. The evolution of the critical misfit strain for the dislocation formation in the interfaces has been finally discussed versus the precipitate size.