Xenon Diffusion Mechanism and Xenon Bubble Nucleation and Growth Behaviors in Molybdenum via Molecular Dynamics Simulations

Abstract

The behaviors of xenon in molybdenum were studied using molecular statics andmolecular dynamics simulations. The diffusion mechanism of xenon atoms was studied combiningmolecular dynamics, nudged elastic band, and temperature-accelerated dynamics methods. Thevacancy-assisted diffusion mechanism was analyzed and the corresponding energy barriers werecalculated. The clustering process of scattered xenon atoms was studied at an elevated temperature.Xenon bubbles were observed to form when the concentration of xenon atoms exceeded a thresholdconcentration value. Meanwhile, the interaction of xenon bubble and vacancies was investigated viathe nudged elastic band method. The results showed that there exists a region around the xenonbubble where the migration energy of vacancy is significantly influenced. This work provides usefulinsights towards a better understanding of the behaviors of xenon in molybdenum.