Surface erosion of stressed materials under high energy helium ion irradiation

Abstract Experiments on the influence of external mechanical loading on radiation blistering and flaking of stainless steel and aluminium were carried out. An increase in the critical dose for blistering or flaking of materials was observed when the level of stress increased from zero up to the yield point in a particular temperature range. This phenomenon is discussed in the frame of enhanced capture of helium atoms by bent dislocations in the presence of external mechanical loading. Some supplementary experiments supported the possibility of a dislocation-based mechanism.