Thermal conductivity degradation induced by point defects in irradiated silicon carbide

Irradiations are known to decrease the thermal conductivity of ceramics. This phenomenon is tackled by molecular dynamics simulation of the thermal resistance of point defects in cubic silicon carbide. The additional thermal resistivity due to point defects proves to vary linearly with their concentration. Large variations in the proportionality coefficient with the nature of the defects are observed. From these calculations, an approximate scale for the concentration of vacancies in irradiated SiC is built.