Positron annihilation spectroscopy of proton irradiated single crystal BCC iron

Positron annihilation spectroscopy was used to analyze the open-volume defects created in single crystal, body-centered cubic iron irradiated with 1.0 MeV protons. The effects of irradiation dose and temperature were investigated. A novel technique utilizing a Bremsstrahlung beam to activate and induce positron decay in the bulk specimens, followed by Doppler broadening spectroscopy, was employed. No open-volume defects were detected in the 0.03 dpa irradiated specimens. However, the 0.3 dpa specimens exhibited an increase in the S parameter when compared to the 0.03 dpa specimens at 723 K. The 0.3 dpa specimen at 723 K indicated an increase in open-volume defects, as the radiation temperature increased compared to the 573 K, 0.3 dpa specimen. This was thought to be a consequence of the void and dislocation loop density decreasing while the void and dislocation loop diameter was increasing.