Evolution of atomic collision cascades in vanadium crystal with internal structure

The formation of radiation-damage regions (radiation-damage cascades) in vanadium crystallites with internal structures (intergrain boundary) has been simulated by the molecular-dynamic method. The interatomic interaction is described within the embedded-atom method. A relatively small number of clusters of intrinsic point defects (vacancies and self-interstitial atoms) are formed both in ideal vanadium crystallites and in crystallites with boundaries after the relaxation of atomic-displacement cascades. The evolutionary character of atomic-displacement cascades is determined in many respects by the presence of extended boundaries in materials. The intergrain boundaries hinder the propagation of atomic-displacement cascades and store many radiation-induced defects.