Effects of phosphorus on defects accumulation and annealing in electron-irradiated Fe-Ni austenitic alloys

Pure austenitic alloy Fe-36% Ni and the same alloy doped with phosphorus (0 .1% P) were irradiated with 5 MeV electrons at different temperatures (270- 573 K). Using the methods of positron annihilation and residual resistivity it was shown that at the irradiation temperature of 270 K vacancies are mo bile in both alloys and form vacancy clusters. In Fe-36Ni-0.1P alloy vacanc y clusters are decorated with phosphorus atoms. After the irradiation at 42 3 K the decoration effect is not observed. At the irradiation temperature o f 573 K the addition of phosphorus results in the suppression of vacancy su persaturation. A conclusion is made that, at the elevated irradiation tempe ratures, suppression of vacancy supersaturation occurs due to the interstit ial-phosphorus interaction. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reser ved.