On the range of 3D dislocation pair correlations

TL;DR

This paper investigates 3D dislocation pair correlations using discrete dislocation dynamics simulations, finding an inverse square decay with distance, to extend continuum theories from 2D to 3D dislocation systems.

Contribution

It introduces a first approximation model for 3D dislocation correlations, extending previous 2D theories into three dimensions.

Findings

Dislocation pair correlations decay as inverse square with distance.

Numerical simulations effectively model 3D dislocation correlations.

Supports extending continuum dislocation theories to 3D.

Abstract

Numerical studies of dislocation pair correlations have played a central role in deriving a continuum theory from the equations of motion of 2D dislocation systems in a mathematically rigorous way. As part of an effort to extend this theory into the full 3D dislocation problem, 3D dislocation pair correlations were studied with discrete dislocation dynamics simulation. As a first approximation, dislocations were modeled as uncharged curves in space (their Burgers vectors were disregarded). An inverse square decay with distance was found to describe the numerically obtained pair correlations of the studied curve system.