The results of Doppler broadening studies of annealing processes in th
e commercial stainless steel are presented. Two stages were establishe
d in the temperature dependence of the S-parameter. The first one corr
esponds to the steep decrease of the S-parameter in the temperature ra
nge from room temperature up to 500-degrees-C and reflects annealing o
f defects introduced during the manufacture process. Three models of v
acancy sinking and migration were considered. Taking into account diff
usion of vacancies to the surface as well as to the grain boundaries g
ave the activation energy of vacancy diffusion equal to 1.215 +/- 0.01
6 eV. The increase and consequent decrease of the S-parameter in the t
emperature range from 600-degrees-C up to 1060-degrees-C in the second
stage is considered as caused by the precipitation of the carbide M23
C6.