Positron annihilation studies of vacancy-type defects

The annihilation radiation of low energy positrons gives information on the electronic and defect structure of solids. There are three conventionally measurable quantities: the positron lifetime, the angular correlation of 2 annihilation radiation and the Doppler-broadened annihilation line shape. In the presence of lattice defects the annihilation characteristics show considerable changes. This is due to positron trapping at defects like vacancies and their agglomerates, voids, dislocations and grain boundaries. The concentration of defects can be deduced from the ratio of trapped and free positrons.The annihilation characteristics are different for different defect configurations. Positrons reveal vacancy agglomeration and the lifetime of trapped positrons gives estimates on the size of microvoids in the range of 2–10 Å. Various examples on the study of equilibrium and non-equilibrium defects, radiation damage and defect annealing are presented. Special emphasis is given to vacancy recovery and vacancy-impurity interactions in electron and neutron irradiated bcc transition metals like Fe, Mo, Nb, Ta.     

Synthesis and characterization of magnesium oxide nanocrystallites and probing the vacancy-type defects through positron annihilation studies

Magnesium oxide nanocrystallites exhibit certain abnormal characteristics when compared to those of other wide band gap oxide semiconductors in the sense they are most prone to water absorption and formation of a hydroxide layer on the surface. The problem can be rectified by heating and pure nanocrystallites can be synthesized with controllable sizes. Inevitably the defect properties are distinctly divided between two stages, the one with the hydroxide layer (region I) and the other after the removal of the layer by annealing (region II). The lattice parameters, the optical band gap and even the positron annihilation characteristics are conspicuous by their distinct behavior in the two stages of the surface configurations of nanoparticles. While region I was specific with the formation of positronium-hydrogen complexes that drastically altered the defect-specific positron lifetimes, pick-off annihilation of orthopositronium atoms marked region II. The vacancy clusters within the nanocrystallites also trapped positrons. They agglomerated due to the effect of the higher temperatures and resulted in the growth of the nanocrystallites. The coincidence Doppler broadening spectroscopic measurements supported these findings and all the more indicated the trapping of positrons additionally into the neutral divacancies and negatively charged trivacancies. This is apart from the Mg²⁺ monovacancies which acted as the dominant trapping centers for positrons.     

Positron trapping at grain boundaries

A simple model is developed for the trapping of positrons at grain boundaries. It is shown that there is a linear relationship between any linear annihilation parameter and the inverse grain size. An effective grain boundary width is defined, which depends on the positron diffusion length and on the strength of the grain boundary for positrons. The effect of detrapping on this effective width is also considered. The model is tested by using the experimental results available in the literature.     

A positron trapping study of non-equilibrium defects created by the hcp ∌ fcc phase change in cobalt

Measurements of annihilation lineshape parameter S show that the hcp ? fcc phase change in cobalt creates a non-equilibrium defect population capable of trapping positrons. These defects can be removed by annealing above 870 K. This effect explains the discontinuous behaviour of S(T) at 690 K, which had been attributed to a lattice-structure dependence of free positron annihilation.     

Positron beam studies of transients in semiconductors

Vacancy-sensing positron deep level transient spectroscopy (PDLTS) is a positron beam-based technique that seeks to provide information on the electronic ionization levels of vacancy defects probed by the positron through the monitoring of thermal transients. The experimental discoveries leading to the concept of vacancy-sensing PDLTS are first reviewed. The major problem associated with this technique is discussed, namely the strong electric fields establish in the near surface region of the sample during the thermal transient which tend to sweep positrons into the contact with negligible defect trapping. New simulations are presented which suggest that under certain conditions a sufficient fraction of positrons may be trapped into ionizing defects rendering PDLTS technique workable. Some suggestions are made for techniques that might avoid the problematic electric field problem, such as optical-PDLTS where deep levels are populated using light and the use of high forward bias currents for trap filling.     

Theoretical foundation and extension of the trapping model

The trapping model frequently used for analyzing experiments on positron annihilation in solids is put on a firm theoretical basis by deriving it from Waite's theory of diffusion-limited reactions. The conventional version of the trapping model turns out to be correct only if the trapping process is not diffusion-limited and if the escape probability of positrons from traps is negligibly small. The present paper treats both detrapping and the effects of positron diffusion for an arbitrary number of different types of traps, and develops a perturbation-theory solution for the general case.     

GaN-a new material for positron moderation

GaN with its wide bandgap might be of interest as a positron moderation material in much the same way as SiC is. To investigate this, positron beam experiments have been performed to establish the diffusion behaviour and surface branching of positrons implanted with energies varying from 0 to 25 keV into an epitaxially grown layer of semi-insulating GaN on a sapphire substrate. The measured diffusion length of the positrons amounted to 19.3 ± 1.4 nm. The surface branching ratios were as follows: 48% positron emission, 12% positronium formation and 40% trapping at the surface. The positron workfunction was shown to be negative with a value of 2.4 ± 0.3 eV. The materials feasibility for positron moderation and its possible use in field assisted moderation is discussed.     

正电子慢化体的研究和进展

正电子湮没技术是一种研究材料的微观缺陷和相变的灵敏工具,在通常的正电子谱仪中,正电子能量为MeV量级,在样品中注入深度比较学（－100μm）,主要研究材料体内的平均缺陷密度,慢正电子束方法把正电子的能量降低为keV量级（而且可以调节）,注入比较浅（－μm）,所以是研究表面缺陷的探测手段,正电子慢化体是产生慢正电子的关键设备,对其研究有重要意义,文章综述了慢化体研究的历史和现状,从物理概念出发介绍使正电子慢化的四种可能方法和当今慢化体的五种几何排列方法,其中应用最广泛的是钨慢化体和百叶窗式的排列方式,效率最高的是惰性气体固体慢化体,而加电场慢化体是有待开发的高效慢化体。     

Motion of positrons in metals

In this review we discuss the different aspects of positron annihilation in metals that involve the dynamics of positron motion before annihilation. The emphasis is on the theory, but also some experimental evidence is quoted. The topics covered are: slowing down and thermalization, effective mass, temperature dependence of positron vacancy trapping, positron channeling, and escape of low energy positrons from metal surfaces.     

Chemical analysis using coincidence Doppler broadening and supporting first-principles theory: Applications to vacancy defects in compound semiconductors

The Doppler broadening of the positron annihilation radiation contains information on the chemical environment of vacancy defects trapping positrons in solids. The measured signal can, for instance, reveal impurity atoms situated next to vacancies. As compared to integrated quantities such as the positron annihilation rate or the annihilation line shape parameters, the full Doppler spectrum measured in the coincidence mode contains much more useful information for defect identification. This information, however, is indirect and complementary understanding is needed to fully interpret the results. First-principles calculations are a valuable tool in the analysis of measured spectra. One can construct an atomic-scale model for a given candidate defect, calculate from first principles the corresponding Doppler spectrum, and directly compare results between experiment and theory. In this paper we discuss recent examples of successful combinations of coincidence Doppler broadening measurements and supporting first-principles calculations. These demonstrate the predictive power of state-of-the-art calculations and the usefulness of such an approach in the chemical analysis of vacancy defects.     

The temperature dependence of the diffusion coefficient and of the trapping rate of positrons in metals

The paper explores the consequences of metastable self-trapping of positrons for the temperature variation of positron diffusion coefficients and trapping rates. It is shown that the diffusion coefficient is expected to decrease with increasing temperatures from a value determined by the scattering of positron Bloch waves by acoustic phonons to a much lower one governed by a hopping process. The temperature variation of the rate of trapping by small defects such as vacancies is more complicated since only at high temperatures can we expect it to be limited by the positron diffusion coefficient. At low temperatures the observed magnitude of the rate of trapping at monovacancies can only be understood if the trapping rate is controlled by the rate of capture of positrons that have arrived at the trap.     

Positron lifetimes and annihilation lineshape in Cd and au from 4.2 K to the melting points

By means of an integrated source-specimen technique the temperature dependence of positron lifetimes and annihilation lineshapes has been measured, on the same specimens of gold and cadmium from 4.2K to the melting points, and also in electronirradiated and quenched gold. The anomalous temperature dependence of positron annihilation at intermediate temperatures (200 to 350 K in Cd, 270 to 750 K in Au) discovered by Lichtenberger, Schulte, and MacKenzie is confirmed. The data are incompatible with the idea that the intermediate temperature dependence is due to thermal expansion. They are well explained by an extension of the trapping model which includes the formation of metastable self-trapped positrons. From lineshape measurements after electron irradiation at 180 K and after quenching it is deduced that the trapping rate of positrons at vacancy-type defects in Au is temperature independent below room temperature.     

Relevance of slow positron beam research to astrophysical studies of positron interactions and annihilation in the interstellar medium

The processes undergone by positrons in the interstellar medium (ISM) from the moments of their birth to their annihilation are examined. Both the physics of the positron interactions with gases and solids (dust grains), and the physical conditions and characteristics of the environments where the processes of energy loss, positronium formation, and annihilation taking place, are reviewed. An explanation is given as to how all the relevant physical information are taken into account in order to calculate annihilation rates and spectra of the 511 keV emission for the various phases of the ISM; special attention is paid to positron interactions with dust and with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. An attempt is made to show to what extent the interactions between positrons and interstellar dust grains are similar to laboratory experiments in which beams of slow positrons impinge upon solids and surfaces. Sample results are shown for the effect of dust grains on positron annihilation spectra in some phases of the ISM which, together with high resolution spectra measured by satellites, can be used to infer useful knowledge about the environment where the annihilation is predominantly taking place and ultimately about the birth place and history of positrons in the Galaxy. The important complementarity between work done by the astrophysical and the solid-state positron communities is strongly emphasized and specific experimental work is suggested which could assist the modeling of the interaction and annihilation of positrons in the ISM.     

The exact solution of the diffusion trapping model of defect profiling with variable energy positrons

We report an exact analytical solution of so-called positron diffusion trapping model. This model have been widely used for the treatment of the experimental data for defect profiling of the adjoin surface layer using the variable energy positron (VEP) beam technique. However, up to now this model could be treated only numerically with so-called VEPFIT program. The explicit form of the solutions is obtained for the realistic cases when defect profile is described by a discreet step-like function and continuous exponential-like function. Our solutions allow to derive the analytical expressions for typical positron annihilation characteristics including the positron lifetime spectrum. Latter quantity could be measured using the pulsed, slow positron beam. Our analytical results are in good coincidence with both the VEPFIT numerics and experimental data. The presented solutions are easily generalizable for defect profiles of other shapes and can be well used for much more precise treatment of above experimental data.     

用正电子湮没技术研究形变铁的恢复

本文介绍应用正电子湮没寿命和多普勒加宽方法研究60％形变铁等时退火各阶段中缺陷的恢复行为,实验结果说明正电子湮没平均寿命τ及多普勒加宽的S参数都是退火温度的函数,完整晶体中湮没寿命τ_f=111±lPS,缺陷中湮没寿命τ_d=162±lps,本文还根据捕获模型计算了正电子的捕获速率及τ₁,结果证明与理论预期的完全一致,经计算得出捕获正电于的相对缺陷浓度的范围为10^-7-10^-4数量级。 关键词：     

Positron annihilation in large polyatomic molecules. The role of vibrational Feshbach resonances and binding

We analyse the process of rapid positron annihilation in large polyatomic molecules due to positron capture into vibrational Feshbach resonances. Resonant annihilation occurs in molecules which can bind positrons, and we analyse positron binding to alkanes using zero-range potentials. Related questions of spectra of annihilation gamma quanta and molecular fragmentation following annihilation, are discussed briefly.     

Spatial distribution of cold antihydrogen formation

Antihydrogen is formed when antiprotons are mixed with cold positrons in a nested Penning trap. We present experimental evidence, obtained using our antihydrogen annihilation detector, that the spatial distribution of the emerging antihydrogen atoms is independent of the positron temperature and axially enhanced. This indicates that antihydrogen is formed before the antiprotons are in thermal equilibrium with the positron plasma. This result has important implications for the trapping and spectroscopy of antihydrogen.     

PAL spectroscopy as experimental probe for extended free-volume defects in inorganic glasses and ceramics

Extended free-volume defects trapping positrons are studied in inorganic glasses and functional ceramics using positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy. Obtained results are treated in terms of general macroscopic approach grounded on physical–chemical properties of the tested materials which depend on the value of free volume content. At the example of chalcogenide glasses of ternary Ge–Sb–S system and spinel-type mixed transition-metal manganite Cu_0.4Co_0.4Ni_0.4Mn_1.8O₄ and magnesium aluminate MgAl₂O₄ ceramics, it is shown that strict correlation exists between numerical values of free volumes of potential positron traps and lifetime parameters determined within two-state positron trapping model.     

Hg1-xCdxTe晶体缺陷的正电子湮没寿命

利用正电子(e⁺)湮没寿命谱实验研究了Hg_1-xCd_xTe晶体样品的空位缺陷.碲溶剂法生长的样品，不论是n型导电还是p型导电都存在大量的Hg空位.经过合适的退火工艺，p型材料转为n型，同时对正电子的俘获效应减小，表现为正电子湮没平均寿命值减小14—17ps.若退火温度高于350℃，正电子湮没寿命值又增大，表明Hg空位浓度增加.得到HgCdTe中正电子的体寿命为τ_b=272ps.根据正电子湮没寿命和电参数的测量结果，得出 关键词：     

Positron lifetime as a function of grain size

Published data on positron annihilation lifetime in copper as a function of grain size have been analyzed to show that there is a linear relationship between the internal grain boundary surface area, per unit volume,S _v, and the positron lifetime, τ. The analysis indicates that grain boundaries are important in the trapping of positrons. It is suggested that the slope of the resulting straight line,dS _v/dτ, can be used to determine the annihilation rate of the grain boundaries.