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Self-Organized Defect Phases along Dislocations in Irradiated Alloys

N. Saunders†, R. S. Averback, and P. Bellon*

  • *Contact author: bellon@illinois.edu
  • †Contact author: ns60@illinois.edu
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Phys. Rev. Lett. 137, 126201 – Published 15 September, 2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/wwnl-8ds1

Abstract

Patterning of precipitates along dislocation lines arising from nonequilibrium segregation during ion irradiation is investigated in model binary alloys. Lattice kinetic Monte Carlo simulations reveal that the competition between solute advection by point defects to the dislocation and thermal diffusion along the dislocation can stabilize self-organized nanostructures with distinct morphologies, including tubes and quasiperiodic necklaces. The stabilization of nanonecklaces is rationalized by heavy-tail power-law distributions for solute redistribution along the dislocation due to advection.

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Phys. Rev. Lett. 137, 126201– Published 15 September, 2026
  • Received 20 January 2026
  • Revised 20 March 2026
  • Accepted 27 August 2026
Article part of CHORUS
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