On the generation of local structural changes in a crystal induced by thermal fluctuations under dynamic loading

Consideration is given to the response of a material with an initially perfect lattice under dynamic loading in a wide temperature range. The calculations are performed in the framework of a molecular dynamics method using many-body potentials of interatomic interaction obtained on the basis of the embedded atom method. It is demonstrated that thermal fluctuations can be a reason for the generation of zones with local structural changes. Analysis of the results has shown that there is a threshold strain value at which the number of zones with local structural changes grow almost abruptly. We draw the analogy between precursory and highly excited states.