Ubiquity of quantum zero point fluctuations in dislocations glide

M. Landeiro dos Rei (1) , A. Choudhury (1) , L. Proville (1)

1 CEA-DES (ex-DEN) - CEA-Direction des Energies (ex-Direction de l'Energie Nucléaire)

Modeling the dislocations glide through atomic scale simulations in Al, Cu and Ni and in solid solution alloys Al(Mg) and Cu(Ag), we show that in the course of the plastic deformation the variation of the crystals zero point energy (ZPE) and the dislocation potential energy barriers are of opposite sign. The multiplicity of situations where we have observed the same trend allows usto conclude that quantum fluctuations, giving rise to crystal ZPE make easier the dislocation glide in most materials, even those constituted of atoms heavier than H and He.

Keywords: dislocation glide

Domains: Physics [physics]; Nuclear Experiment [nucl-ex]; Physics [physics]; Nuclear Theory [nucl-th]

M. Landeiro dos Rei, A. Choudhury, L. Proville. Ubiquity of quantum zero point fluctuations in dislocations glide. Physical Review B: Condensed Matter and Materials Physics (1998-2015), 2017, 95, pp.094103. ⟨10.1103/PhysRevB.95.094103⟩. ⟨cea-02418720⟩