The coupling technique: A two-wave acoustic method for the study of dislocation dynamics

Progress in the study of dislocation dynamics has been achieved using a two-wave acoustic method, which has been called the coupling technique. In this method, the attenuation α and the velocity v of ultrasonic waves are measured in a sample submitted simultaneously to a harmonic stress σ of low frequency. Closed curves Δα(σ) and Δv/v(σ) are drawn during each cycle of the applied stress. The shapes of these curves and their evolution are characteristic of each dislocation motion mechanism which is activated by the low-frequency applied stress. For this reason, the closed curves Δα(σ) and Δv/v(σ) can be considered as signatures of the interaction mechanism which controls the low-frequency dislocation motion. In this paper, the concept of signature is presented and explained with some experimental examples. It will also be shown that theoretical models can be developed which explain very well the experimental results.