WB-STEM observation of dislocation loop behavior in reactor pressure vessel steel during post-irradiation annealing

Du, Y.*; Yoshida, Kenta*; Shimada, Yusuke*; Toyama, Takeshi*; Inoue, Koji*; Arakawa, Kazuto*; Suzudo, Tomoaki   ; Milan, K. J.*; Gerard, R.*; Onuki, Somei*; Nagai, Yasuyoshi*

In order to ensure the integrity of the reactor pressure vessel in the long term, it is necessary to understand the effects of irradiation on the materials. In this study, irradiation-induced dislocation loops were observed in neutron-irradiated reactor pressure vessel specimens during annealing using our newly developed WB-STEM. It was confirmed that the proportion of loops increased with increasing annealing temperature. We also succeeded in observing the phenomenon that two loops collide into a loop. Moreover, a phenomenon in which dislocation loops decorate dislocations was also observed, and the mechanism was successfully explained by molecular dynamics simulation.