EFFECT OF DIVACANCY MOBILITY ON THE FORMATION RATE OF VACANCY PORES IN IRRADIATED METALS.

The theory of the uniform formation of vacancy pores in a metal suffering damage in a constant particle bombardment is generalized to include the thermal mobility of divacancies. Balance equations are written, and a method is described for solving them for the concentrations of mobile defects. Incorporation of the divacancy mobility substantially increases the rate at which pores are formed in fcc metals. The calculated results are compared with experimental data on the bombardment of pure nickel by ions in an accelerator.