Elements of the radiation-induced structural self-organization in materials

A crystal irradiated by energetic particles is an open system capable of self-organization. The minimum requirements for self-organization of the microstructure (defect sinks) are derived by a linear stability analysis based upon a rate equation treatment of the defect reactions. The selected description eases the application also for proper chemical reactions. Coupling of defect fluxes to solute fluxes and resulting compositional self-organization in alloys is also considered