Application of Positron Annihilation Spectroscopy to Irradiated Fe-Cr Alloys

The effect of Cr on the microstructure of neutron-irradiated Fe-Cr alloys is not yet known in detail. Available experimental results indicate that the addition of Cr to Fe or steels significantly influences the behavior of Fe-Cr alloys or ferritic/ martensitic high-Cr steels with regard to neutron irradiation. Neutron irradiation induced damage at its early stage was simulated by ion implantation. Positron Annihilation Spectroscopy, known as a very sensitive method for revealing smallest open-volume defects with lowest concentrations, was applied to identify irradiation-induced defects depending on the Cr-content in Fe-Cr alloys. Different irradiation scenarios were used to investigate the influences of irradiation step by step.