THE EFFECT OF NEUTRON AND GAMMA-IRRADIATION ON THE DISLOCATION RELAXATION PEAK IN SILVER

The internal-friction spectrum has been determined in extremely pure p olycrystalline silver crystals after being subjected to neutron and ga mma irradiation. The spectra obtained for an applied frequency of 10 M Hz show that the mechanical losses due to dislocation relaxation decre ase as the doses of neutron and gamma radiation increase. The effect o f gamma radiation was found to be more significant than that of neutro n irradiation. The relationship between damping neutron and gamma dose was found to be of the form Q(max)-1 is-proportional-to LAMBDAD(eta) where eta is equal to - 1.2 for neutron and - 1.45 for gamma irradiati on. The variations of the peak height and width, and temperature of th e dislocation relaxation peak as functions of neutron and gamma doses are explained in terms of the pair-kink formation model.