Similarity and difference between fcc, bcc and hcp metals from the view point of point defect cluster formation

In order to obtain an overall understanding of the similarity and difference in the point defect reactions between different types of crystallographic structure of metals, the formation of point defect clusters by a variety of experimental treatments, such as quenching from high temperatures, electron irradiation in high-voltage electron microscopes, irradiation with energetic particles, and high-speed and/or heavy plastic deformation, is reviewed. Not only the simple comparison of the variation of point defect cluster formation, but also the consideration of the variation of underlying point defect reactions with the kind of materials and with experimental parameters are made. The behavior of vacancies is found to be very similar in all fee metals and behavior of self-interstitial atoms appears to be very similar in fee and bcc metals. However, the behavior of vacancies in bcc metals, especially in ct-iron, is entirely different from that in fee metals. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.