Published online by Cambridge University Press: 15 March 1999
Slip patterning is influenced by both the distribution of Frank-Read sources in the bulk crystal and the dislocation interactions before emerging at the surface. The fine structure of slip lines is also highly dependent on the intrinsic nature of Frank-Read sources and particularly on their pinning points and external dislocation network, which is often not considered.In this paper, different types of Frank-Read sources are reviewed and the direct effects are described and discussed of these dislocation multiplication mechanisms on the step fine structure at the surface.