title: Understanding dislocation mechanics at the mesoscale using phase field dislocation dynamics.
abstract: In this paper, we discuss the formulation, recent developments and findings obtained from a mesoscale mechanics technique called phase field dislocation dynamics (PFDD). We begin by presenting recent advancements made in modelling face-centred cubic materials, such as integration with atomic-scale simulations to account for partial dislocations. We discuss calculations that help in understanding grain size effects on transitions from full to partial dislocation-mediated slip behaviour and deformation twinning. Finally, we present recent extensions of the PFDD framework to alternative crystal structures, such as body-centred cubic metals, and two-phase materials, including free surfaces, voids and bi-metallic crystals. With several examples we demonstrate that the PFDD model is a powerful and versatile method that can bridge the length and time scales between atomistic and continuum-scale methods, providing a much needed understanding of deformation mechanisms in the mesoscale regime.
authors.affiliation: Theoretical Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, PO Box 1663 MS B261, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA irene@lanl.gov.
authors.forename: I J
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0048-475X
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Beyerlein
authors.affiliation: X Computational Physics Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, PO Box 1663 MS T086, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hunter
keywords: crystals; dislocations; grain boundaries; interfaces;  metals