Electrical Resistivity Measurements of Deformed Metals after Low Temperature Neutron Irradiation

Abstract

The effect of deformation before and after fast neutron irradiation at about 10°K on the recovery spectra of Cu, Al and Au is studied by measurements of residual resistivity. In Cu specimen deformed at 4.2°K after irradiation, the recovery below 43°K is retarded. But this retardation cannot be observed in Al and a small reduction is observed in Au. On the other hand, the stages II and III are enhanced by deformation in all three metals. Two mechanisms are discussed in relation with these observations, namely, the recovery of stage I defects and the transformation of stage I defects though interactions with moving dislocations.