Defect study of proton-irradiated liquid-encapsulated Czochralski GaAs using the positron-annihilation technique

The positron lifetime of undoped Liquid-Encapsulated Czochralski (LEC)-GaAs and Si-doped (1.3×10¹⁸ cm^–3) LEC-GaAs was measured before and after irradiation with protons (dose 1×10¹⁵/cm², 15 MeV). In Si-doped GaAs, the decrease of positron lifetime at temperatures between 10 and 300 K are due to the decrease of the positron-diffusion length and the increase of the effective shallow traps such as antisite Ga_As. The annealing stage of the proton-irradiation-induced defects which show the different behavior from that of electron-irradiation-induced defects suggests that proton irradiation creates more complicated defect complexes, containing vacancies rather than isolated vacancy-type defects or simple complexes which have been observed during electron-irradiation processes. Above 700 K, proton-irradiation-induced defects such as vacancy-type defects and simple vacancy complexes are almost annealed out, while Si-induced defects such as Si_Ga-V_Ga complexes cannot be annealed out above 973 K.     

Characterization of silicon dioxide deposited by low-temperature CVD using TEOS and ozone by monoenergetic positron beams

Monoenergetic positrons were used as a nondestructive probe for SiO₂ films deposited on Si substrates by atmospheric-pressure chemical vapor deposition using tetraethylortho-silicate (TEOS, Si(OC₂H₅)₄) and O₃. The formation of positronium (Ps) in the SiO₂ films was found from measurements of Doppler broadening profiles of the annihilation radiation and lifetime spectra of positrons. A clear correlation between the formation probability of Ps and the concentration of H₂O in the SiO₂ films was established.     

In situ electron-microscope investigation of phase formation and defects in Bi2Sr2CaCu2Oy single crystals on heating

A strong nonthermal influence of electron irradiation on the formation of new phases and structural defects has been found in an in situ study of structural transformations of Bi₂Sr₂CaCu₂O_y crystals under heating. The stability of the modulated structure and stacking faults with respect to heating by an electron beam and in the absence of irradiation was investigated. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 39, 457–462 (February 1997)     

氢对铁中缺陷行为的影响

本文研究了铁中氢与辐照缺陷的相互作用。氢与这些缺陷结合,形成不同类型的氢与缺陷的复合体,在从低温到高温的时效过程中,可以清楚地观察到间隙型位错环(>300℃)、空位型位错环(>450℃)和空洞(520℃)的形成。研究表明,这三种缺陷分别是氢与间隙原子、氢与单个空位、氢与复数个空位等三种复合体聚集而成。 关键词：     

Influence of electron beam irradiation on structural and optical properties of α-Ag2WO4 nanoparticles

The influence of 8 MeV electron beam irradiation on the structural and optical properties of silver tungstate (α-Ag₂WO₄) nanoparticles synthesized by chemical precipitation method was investigated. The dose dependent effect of electron irradiation was investigated by various characterization techniques such as, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, UV–vis absorption spectroscopy, photoluminescence and Raman spectroscopy. Systematic studies confirm that electron beam irradiation induces non-stoichiometry, defects and particle size variation on α-Ag₂WO₄, which in turn results changes in optical band gap, photoluminescence spectra and Raman bands.     

Interplay of native defect-related photoluminescence response of ZnO nanosticks subjected to 80 keV Ar ion irradiation

We report on the effect of 80 keV Ar⁺ ion irradiation on the luminescence response of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanosticks synthesized using a simple microemulsion route. The formation of nanoscale rods was confirmed from the transmission electron microscopy, whereas the hexagonal wurtzite phase of the nanorods was detected in an X-ray diffraction pattern. The photoluminescence pattern of the nanorods was dominated by various native defect states of ZnO, which are responsible for the quenching of the typical band edge emission of ZnO. Under Ar⁺ ion irradiation at a fluence of 1×10¹³ ions/cm², the band edge emission was recovered owing to the suppression of oxygen vacancy defects. In addition, the formation of new zinc vacancy and ionized zinc interstitial defects were also evident. Conversely, the band edge emission was found to be quenched as a result of the creation of more oxygen vacancy (V_O) defects due to ion irradiation (fluence: 1×10¹⁵ ions/cm²). The nuclear energy loss of the Ar⁺ ions in ZnO is responsible for the formation of point (vacancy-related) defects, while relatively small amount of electronic energy loss of the Ar⁺ ion results in the ionization of the neutral zinc interstitial (Zn_i) defects. The energy deposition scheme of the energetic ions has been elaborated with the help of theoretical modeling that explains the observed features quite satisfactorily.     

Critical current densities and flux creep rate in Co-doped BaFe2As2 with columnar defects introduced by heavy-Ion irradiation

We report the formation of columnar defects in Co-doped BaFe₂As₂ single crystals with different heavy-ion irradiations. The formation of columnar defects by 200 MeV Au ion irradiation is confirmed by transmission electron microscopy and their density is about 40% of the irradiation dose. Magneto-optical imaging and bulk magnetization measurements reveal that the critical current density J_c is enhanced in the 200 MeV Au and 800 MeV Xe ion irradiated samples while J_c is unchanged in the 200 MeV Ni ion irradiated sample. We also find that vortex creep rates are strongly suppressed by the columnar defects. We compare the effect of heavy-ion irradiation into Co-doped BaFe₂As₂ and cuprate superconductors.     

Effect of irradiating ion fluence on optical properties of ZnO1−x:Nx thin films

Swift heavy ion (SHI) irradiation is an effective technique to modify the optical properties of the materials. In the present investigation, the effect of 100?MeV?Ag⁷⁺ SHI irradiation fluence on the optical properties of ZnO_1?x:N_x thin films was studied. The post irradiation spectroscopic characterizations such as UV–VIS reflectance spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy analysis were carried out. The studies imply that when the SHI passes through the solid, the higher electronic stopping power of ions can weaken oxygen bonds in ZnO, resulting in the formation of donor defects such as oxygen vacancies and zinc interstitials. The formation of donor defects has been acknowledged through the increase in bandgap with irradiating ion fluence. The blue shift observed from the Raman spectra for the 3?×?10¹³ ions/cm² fluence-irradiated films implies the existence of compressive stress in the films. The PL analysis acknowledges the formation of donor defects upon irradiation. Furthermore, it conveys that the presence of N atoms in ZnO lattice leads to the formation of a less number of defects as compared with undoped ZnO while irradiation.     

高温电子辐照硅中缺陷的研究

本文对高温电子辐照硅中产生的缺陷进行了研究,发现缺陷的引进率随电子辐照温度的增加而增加,在达到极值温度T_m后,缺陷的引进率将随之而下降,T_m值与缺陷的退火激活能有关。E₃缺陷(E_c—0.36eV)浓度在高温电子辐照中显著增加,在330℃高温电子辐照时,E₃缺陷浓度为室温电子辐照的6倍。研究结果表明,E₃缺陷的可能结构为与多空位和氧有关的复合体。 关键词：     

Study of radiation damage in quartz single crystals irradiated with protons

The effect of proton irradiation on quartz single crystals is studied. Positron diagnostics (the angular distribution of annihilation photons (ADAP)) and acoustical and spectrophotometric methods are used to study radiation-induced defects. It is shown that a narrow component with intensity f in the ADAP spectrum is caused by parapositronium and determines the high sensitivity of the method used in studying special features of the quartz crystal structure. In this case, any process leading to a decrease in the probability of positrinium (Ps) formation (the capture of positrons by charged defects and the interaction with impurity ions and lattice distortions) decreases the intensity of the narrow component. The concentration of radiation-induced defects is estimated and their kinetics of annealing up to 873 K is studied.     

Exciton luminescence of YAlO<Subscript>3</Subscript> single crystals and single-crystal films

The paper reports on a study of exciton luminescence in single crystals (SCs) and single-crystal films (SCFs) of YAlO₃, which have substantially different concentrations of vacancy-type and substitutional defects, under excitation by synchrotron radiation near the fundamental absorption edge. The radiative annihilation of excitons in SCFs was shown to occur primarily at regular perovskite lattice sites and to be accompanied by luminescence in a band peaking at λ_max = 295 nm with τ = 5.2 ns. In contrast to SCFs, the radiative exciton decay in YAlO₃ SCs takes place predominantly near vacancy-type defects (F⁺ and F centers) and is accompanied by luminescence in the bands at λ_max = 350 nm (τ = 2.5 ns) and 440 nm (τ₁ = 1.9 ns, τ₂ = 30 ms). Photoexcitation in the 175-nm band of YAlO₃ SCs revealed photoconversion of the centers F → F⁺.     

Long range enhancement of boron diffusivity by phosphorus diffusion

The effect of electron and ion beam irradiation on the Si_{L vv} Auger spectra of SiO₂, Si₃N₄ and Si-oxynitride films was measured by the relative intensity of the 92 eV signal, characteristic for the formation of “free” silicon during irradiation. While in Si-oxynitride (O/N = 0.37) the beam effects were almost negligible, some damage was found in Si₃N₄, but SiO₂ appeared to be extremely sensitive for electron and ion beam irradiation. By low energy electron loss spectroscopy (ELS) of ion bombarded SiO₂ and Si₃N₄ films new electron states due to broken Si-O and Si-N bonds could be determined within the band gap of the insulators. The measured energy losses were interpreted by means of electron energy level schemes of the amorphous films.     

A positron beam Doppler broadening analysis of formation and recovery of defects produced by ion irradiation in Fe‒C‒Cu alloys

Mechanisms of radiation embrittlement of reactor pressure vessel steels remain to be fully understood, particularly the nature of so-called ‘matrix defects’. One possible mechanism is vacancy cluster formation, probably assisted by cascade damage. In order to investigate the effect of copper on the formation and annealing processes of vacancy clusters, ion-irradiated Fe?C and Fe?C?Cu were investigated using a variable energy positron beam. Doppler broadening analysis revealed that vacancy-type defects are produced by ion irradiation and that copper addition reduces the open volume of the defects. Post irradiation annealing suggested the vacancy clusters do not have a substantial role in irradiation hardening.     

Temperature effect on positron trapping in Fe59Ni25Cr16 alloy containing voids

Positron annihilation measurements were performed in austenitic Fe₅₉Ni₂₅Cr₁₆ alloy containing vacancy-type defects. Lifetime data were recorded between 4K and 400K. The positron trapping process was studied as a function of temperature and cluster size. The smaller defects characterized by a lifetime of 260 ps yield an unchanged trapping rate during temperature scanning. However, the trapping phenomenon is strongly temperature dependent for the larger size defects, with a typical lifetime of 500 ps.     

Near threshold effects in positron-atom (molecule) scattering

The energy dependence of the total cross-sections for ionization by positron impact has been measured for He, Ne, Ar, CO₂ and O₂. The interplay between this and other scattering channels has been investigated. The data for He, Ne and Ar has been interpreted using a combination ofR-matrix and threshold theories in the neighbourhood of the Ps formation threshold. In CO₂, an enhancement of the Ps formation probability is found when the remnant ion is left in an excited state. In O₂, structure has been observed which indicates channel-coupling with excitation to the Schumann-Runge continuum.     

Positron annihilation in electron-irradiated n-type gap crystals

Abstract

The defects in n-GaP crystals irradiated by 2.3 MeV electrons up to 1 × 10¹⁹ cm^?2 at RT were studied by means of positron annihilation (angular correlation) and electrical property measurements. It was found that positrons are trapped in some radiation-induced vacancy-type defects (acceptors) but that the effect saturates at high electron fluences (D1 × 10¹⁸ cm^?2). The trapping rate in irradiated samples increases with temperature in the range 77–300 K. Post-irradiation isochronal annealing reveals the positron traps clustering at about 200–280°C. All positron sensitive radiation-induced defects disappear upon annealing up to 500°C.     

Concentrations of radiation defects with almost isoenergetical levels in silicon

Isochronous annealing of radiation defects with almost isoenergetical levels (indistinguishable from each other by means of temperature dependence of the majority charge carriers concentration) in silicon is studied. The concentrations of G- and A-centres with a level E _c?0.17 eV in n-Si and some (unidentified) vacancy-type and V₂+B complexes with a level E _v+0.22 eV in p-Si are determined.     

Weak interaction effects in positronium

Within the context of the Weinberg-Salam (standard) model we study possible effects of weak interactions in positronium (Ps), such as parity mixing and weak decays of Ps states. As expected, weak interaction amplitudes in Ps turn out to be extremely small, their magnitude being characterized byG·m _e ² ?3·10^?12 whereG is Fermi's constant andm _e the electron mass. We show that the standard model forbids parity-violating correlations in a large class of Ps reactions and decays due to CP conservation in the lepton sector. We then consider situations in which parity-odd effects in Ps will occur in the standard model and may even be large enough to be observable. Beyond the context of the standard model we discuss the decay of orthopositronium into a photon and the hypothetical axion under the assumption that the mass of the axion is smaller than twice the mass of the electron.     

High temperature defects in electron irradiated semiconductors HgCdTe,PbSnTe

The peculiarities of defect formation in n- and p-type conductivity HgCdTe and PbSnTe crystals after electron irradiation (2 MeV, 300 K) up to 2 × 10¹⁸ cm^-2 are examined. It has been found that irradiation results in formation of n-type conductivity crystals with final parameters that are determined by the composition of initial samples. The annealing of radiation defects occurs in the 360–470 K temperature range. It has been believed that the change of HgCdTe, PbSnTe properties after electron irradiation at 300 K are connected with formation of radiation defects, including Te vacancies.     

Electron scavenger effects on diamagnetic muon polarization in cyclohexane

The effect of electron scavengers on diamagnetic polarization P_D in cyclohexane were examined and compared with the experimental yield of Ps formation (inhibition and anti-inhibition effects) for the same solutions. The effect of C₆F₆ on P_D has been shown to sharply contrast, as we call non anti-inhibition, to the anti-inhibition effect in Ps formation. These results suggest that Muonium formation is different from Ps formation, and does not agree with the simple spur reaction model.