Annealing twins in nanocrystalline fcc metals: A molecular dynamics simulation

D. Farkas, E. Bringa, and A. Caro, Physical Review B, 75, 184111-1-5 (2007).

We report fully three-dimensional atomistic molecular dynamics studies of grain growth kinetics in nanocrystalline Cu of 5 nm average grain size. We observe the formation of annealing twins as part of the grain growth process. The grain size and energy evolution was monitored as a function of time for various temperatures, yielding an activation energy for the process. The atomistic mechanism of annealing twin formation from the moving boundaries is described.

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