In-situ transmission electron microscopy and first-principles study of Au (100) surface dislocation dynamics

► Electron beam induced dynamics of Au surface dislocations at 300 K and 77 K. ► In-situ aberration-corrected transmission electron microscopy. ► Surface dislocations frequently flip by 90° during the experimental observations. ► The pathway and energy barrier of the flips are clarified through DFT calculations. ► Surface terrace growth is observed along the dislocation direction.