THERMAL STABILITY OF RADIATION PRODUCED DEFECTS IN MOLYBDENUM

The microstructural damage and its subsequent recovery in molybdenum, irradiated at 600°C, was studied by quantitative electron microscopy. The microstructure after irradiation consisted of large interstitial loops and smaller clusters within the grains. A zone denuded of interstitial loops, but containing vacancy clusters, was present near grain boundaries. The disappearance during annealing of the large interstitial loops within the grains occurred at a rate equal to that of self-diffusion, as did the growth of the vacancy loops within the denuded zones. The rapid annealing of small clusters within the grains occurred at a rate more nearly equal to that of vacancy migration. © 1968.