Radiation Effects in Non-Metals

Evidence for the formation of two types of oxygen interstitials in neutron-irradiated α-Al2O3 single crystals

Due to unique optical/mechanical properties and significant resistance to harsh radiation environments, corundum (α-Al₂O₃) is considered as a promising candidate material for windows and diagnostics in forthcoming fusion reactors. However, its properties are affected by radiation-induced (predominantly, by fast neutrons) structural defects. In this paper, we analyze thermal stability and recombination kinetics of primary Frenkel defects in anion sublattice − the F-type electronic centers and complementary oxygen interstitials in fast-neutron-irradiated corundum single crystals. Combining precisely measured thermal annealing kinetics for four types of primary radiation defects (neutral and charged Frenkel pairs) and the advanced model of chemical reactions, we have demonstrated for the first time a co-existence of the two types of interstitial defects – neutral O atoms and negatively charged O^- ions (with attributed optical absorption bands peaked at energies of 6.5 eV and 5.6 eV, respectively). From detailed analysis of interrelated kinetics of four oxygen-related defects, we extracted their diffusion parameters (interstitials serve as mobile recombination partners) required for the future prediction of secondary defect-induced reactions and, eventually, material radiation tolerance.

Atomic, electronic and magnetic structure of an oxygen interstitial in neutron-irradiated Al2O3 single crystals

A single radiation-induced superoxide ion \documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$$O_{2}^{ - }$$\end{document}O2- has been observed for the first time in metal oxides. This structural defect has been revealed in fast-neutron-irradiated (6.9×10¹⁸n/cm²) corundum (α-Al₂O₃) single crystals using the EPR method. Based on the angular dependence of the EPR lines at the magnetic field rotation in different planes and the determined g tensor components, it is shown that this hole-type \documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$$O_{2}^{ - }$$\end{document}O2- center (i) incorporates one regular and one interstitial oxygen atoms being stabilized by a trapped hole (S = 1/2), (ii) occupies one oxygen site in the (0001) plane being oriented along the a axis, and (iii) does not contain any other imperfection/defect in its immediate vicinity. The thermal stepwise annealing (observed via the EPR signal and corresponding optical absorption bands) of the \documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$$O_{2}^{ - }$$\end{document}O2- centers, caused by their destruction with release of a mobile ion (tentatively the oxygen ion with the formal charge −1), occurs at 500–750 K, simultaneously with the partial decay of single F-type centers (mostly with the EPR-active F⁺ centers). The obtained experimental results are in line with the superoxide defect configurations obtained via density functional theory (DFT) calculations employing the hybrid B3PW exchange-correlation functional. In particular, the DFT calculations confirm the \documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$$O_{2}^{ - }$$\end{document}O2- center spin S = 1/2, its orientation along the a axis. The \documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$$O_{2}^{ - }$$\end{document}O2- center is characterized by a short O–O bond length of 1.34 Å and different atomic charges and magnetic moments of the two oxygens. We emphasize the important role of atomic charges and magnetic moments analysis in order to identify the ground state configuration.

Effects of Ion Dose and Irradiation Temperature on the Microstructure of Three Spinel Compositions

Three compositions with the spinel structure (γ-AIVB2VIO4), MgAl2O4, FeCr2O4 and γ-SiFe2O4, have been irradiated with 1.5 MeV Kr+ ions over a temperature range (20 to 873 K). In situ TEM and HRTEM afterwork were conducted to characterize the effects of the ion irradiation on the microstructure. MgAl2O4 was the most “radiation-resistant” among the three materials. After irradiation to lx1016 ions/cm2 at 20 K, the cations were completely disordered among all possible tetrahedral and octahedral sites, but the oxygen sublattice remained intact. At room temperature, a high density of dislocation loops developed after this same dose, but there was no evidence of cation disordering. However, γ-SiFe2O4, a spinel structure type, formed under high pressure (7.0 GPa), was easily amorphized at low ion doses (σ1014 ions/cm 2) below 723 K, even lower than required for radiation-induced amorphization of its olivine polymorph, fayalite (α-SiFe2O4; HCP). At 873 K, the amorphous phase recrystallized to magnetite (Fe2+Fe 3+2O4, an inverse spinel structure) and quartz (SiO2) during continued Kr+ irradiation. Chromite (ideally FeCr2O4) with an actual composition of (Fe0.6Mg0.4)(Cr0.7A10.3)2O4 amorphized at 6x1015 ions/cm2 at 20 K, a dose about 20 times as high as that required to amorphize most other AB2O4 phases under the same irradiation conditions. A structural parameter, which quantifies the deviation from ideal packing in the spinel structure was developed and correlates with themeasured doses required for amorphization among these three spinel compositions.