Dislocation mechanism of void ordering and saturation of radiation swelling of metals

Evolution of cavity ensemble under irradiation is considered with account of elastic interaction of cavities with point defects and dislocation loops. The interaction with point defects results in a mechanism of radiation-induced coarsening, while the interaction with loops leads to the dislocation mechanism of cavity growth or shrinkage. A coopration of this mechanisms at different irradiation conditions is shown to result in such fenomena as void and bubble ordering, bimodal size distribution formation and saturation of swelling. 9 refs