Dynamic Atomic Displacements and Athermal Dislocation Glide in Crystals

A dislocation glide mechanism at low temperatures is proposed. The mechanism is based on the inclusion of dynamic atomic displacements, i.e., those caused by nonadiabatic transitions of atoms in a crystal with a dislocation under action of an external force. The dynamic displacements initiate the instability of a rectilinear dislocation with respect to low-amplitude displacements during atomic vibrations. The instability development leads to the formation of a double kink and the dislocation displacement by one interatomic distance.