LOW-TEMPERATURE PLASTICITY OF DILUTE SOLID-SOLUTIONS OF NE IN N-H-2

Samples of strongly dilute solid solutions of Ne in n-H-2 are tested u nder step-wise axial extension at temperatures 1.8-4.2 K. A clearly ma nifested plasticization effect of neon impurities has been observed: s maller loads are required for crystals with a higher neon concentratio n to obtain the same strain at a fixed temperature, The ultimate stren gth of neon-doped crystals is noticeably lower than for pure samples o f normal hydrogen. The creep of Such solid solutions has also been stu died. The decrease in the strength of n-H-2 can be due to a specific m echanism of overcoming by dislocations of the barrier formed near impu rities which probably form Van der Waals complexes with the crystal en vironment. (C) 1997 American Institute of Physics.