Dislocation climb in two-dimensional discrete dislocation dynamics

In this paper, dislocation climb is incorporated in a two-dimensional discrete dislocation dynamics model. Calculations are carried out for polycrystalline thin films, passivated on one or both surfaces. Climb allows dislocations to escape from dislocation pile-ups and reduces the strain-hardening rate, especially for fully passivated films. Within the framework of this model, climb modifies the dislocation structures that develop during plastic deformation and results in the formation of pile-ups on slip planes that do not contain any dislocation sources. (C) 2012 American Institute of Physics. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4718432]