The potentialities and prospects of atom-scale ultramicroscopic study of radiation damaging of structural and fissionable materials

A review is presented on papers dealt with studies of radiation-induced defects using three methods: atomic probe-ion microscopy, scanning tunnel microscopy and atomic force microscopy. The potentialities of the methods are demonstrated when studying crystal defects and radiation-induced structural and phase transformations in reactor vessel steels, uranium and its alloys, iron-nickel alloys, semiconducting and superconducting materials. Knowledge of specific features of defect structure formation and development is noted to be a necessary condition for prediction of properties and behaviour of structural and fission materials under irradiation