  The interaction of discrete breathers with the primary lattice defects in
transition metals such as vacancy, dislocation, and surface is analyzed on the
example of bcc iron employing atomistic simulations. Scattering of discrete
breathers on the lattice defects induces localized atomic excitations, with
intensity and relaxation time depending on the defect structure and breather
kinetic energy. The dissipation of the intrinsic breather energy due to the
scattering is computed and analyzed. It is concluded that the
breather-to-defect energy transfer may stipulate the activation of the lattice
defects causing unexpected athermal effects such as enhanced mass transfer or
electroplasticity, already experimentally reported but so far not fully
understood at the atomic-scale level.
