Atomic Defects in Metals · Au

This chapter gives the detailed investigations of isochronal annealing behaviour of gold (Au) after different irradiations with electrons, fast neutrons, thermal neutrons, as well as protons or deuterons, after quenching or plastic deformation. Detailed TEM investigations on the nucleation and growth of stacking fault tetrahedra (SFT) in quenched gold have been reported. In addition the influence of plastic deformation on the defect production (neutron irradiation) and annealing has been investigated. The annealing stage I have not been observed with irradiated Au in spite of a search down to irradiation temperatures of 0.01 K. Nevertheless some small first order annealing peaks are observed at low temperatures and have been interpreted by close pair annealing. The annealing stage III is dose dependent and has been observed after irradiations, quenching and to some extent after plastic deformation. The chapter tabulates the properties of Frenkel pairs (FP), self-interstitial atoms (SIA), and vacancy (V) in pure Au metal. After α-irradiation stage V was observed at 530 K after n-irradiation at 650 K and after high dose e^--irradiation at T <650K. The final annealing after quenching is observed at somewhat higher temperatures 720 K and 770-870 K. Several solute atoms (SA)-SIA annealing stages have been observed. Vacancy solute interaction has been investigated after quenching as well as after irradiation is also tabulated. Binding energies have been determined from the analysis of the defect annealing kinetics. Further, the data for SIA-SA and V-SA interaction has been tabulated.>