Characteristics of the fast electron emission produced during the cleavage of crystals

The present paper reports the fast electron emission produced during the cleavage of alkali halide crystals and models the dynamics of the process. The mechano-emission arises as a result of the ionization of surface traps at the expense of the energy which is released in the annihilation of the defects which are formed during cleavage. The slow electrons which appear upon the ionization of surface traps are subsequently accelerated in the field of negatively charged segment of the freshly cleaved surface. Considering the basic mechanism of fast electron emission, expressions are derived which are able to explain satisfactorily the temporal, thermal, charge, surface, coloration, water adsorption and other characteristics of the fast electron emission produced during the cleavage of crystals. The decay time of the charges on the newly created surfaces, and the velocity of cracks can be determined from the measurements of fast electron emission produced during the cleavage of crystals. It is shown that two types of diffusing centres are responsible for the charge relaxation and thereby for the emission of fast electrons produced during the cleavage of alkali halide crystals.     

Possibility of elastico-mechanoluminescence dosimetry using alkali halides and other crystals

The elastico-mechanoluminescence (EML) intensity of X or γ-irradiated alkali halide crystals can be used in radiation dosimetry. The EML intensity of X or γ-irradiated alkali halide crystals increases linearly with the strain of the crystals, and when the crosshead of the testing machine deforming an X or γ-irradiated crystal is stopped, then the EML intensity decreases with time. The semilog plot of the EML intensity versus (t − t_c) (where t_c is the time where the crosshead of the testing machine is stopped) indicates that, in the post-deformation region, the EML intensity initially decreases exponentially at a fast rate and later on it decreases exponentially at a slow rate. The EML intensity increases linearly with the density of the F-centres in the crystals. This fact indicates that elastico-ML can suitably be used for the radiation dosimetry. The EML spectra of X or γ-irradiated alkali halide crystals are similar to their thermoluminescence spectra. Based on the detrapping of electrons during the mechanical interaction between the dislocation segments and F-centres, an expression is derived, which indicates that the EML intensity should increase linearly with the density of F-centres in the crystals. The expression derived for the decay of EML indicates that the decay time for the fast decrease of EML should gives the pinning time of dislocation segments (lifetime of interacting F-centres), and the decay time for the slow decrease of EML intensity should gives the lifetime of electrons in the shallow traps. As the elastic deformation is non-destructive phenomenon and the EML intensity depends on the radiation dosage given to the alkali halide crystals, similar to the thermoluminescence and photo-stimulated luminescence, the EML of alkali halide crystals and other crystals may be used for the radiation dosimetry. In EML dosimetry, the same crystal can be used number of times because the elastic deformation does not cause permanent deformation in the crystals, and moreover, comparatively the devices needed for the EML measurements are of low cost and very simple. In recent years, a large number of elastico mechanoluminescent materials have been investigated, and the study of their suitability for the radiation dosimetry may be interesting.     

On the long-lived excited states and the spontaneous tunnel transitions in some positively charged color center systems in alkali halide crystals

A possible energy instability of some color center systems is pointed out, including an anion vacancy (α-center) in alkali halide crystals. When an optical electron passes from an F-aggregate center to an α-center, the system as a whole occupies a lower lying energy level. As an example the probability of the spontaneous radiative tunnel transition M + α → M⁺ + F in a KC1 crystal is calculated.     

Deformation-induced excitation of the luminescence centres in coloured alkali halide crystals

The present paper reports the deformation-induced excitation of the luminescence centres in coloured alkali halide crystals. The peaks of the mechanoluminescence (ML) in γ-irradiated KCl, KBr, KI, NaCl and LiF crystals lie at 455, 463, 472, 450 and 485 nm, i.e. at 2.71, 2.67, 2.62, 2.75 and 2.56 eV, respectively. From the similarity between the ML spectra and the thermoluminescence (TL) and afterglow spectra, the ML of KCl, KBr, KI, NaCl and LiF crystals can be assigned to the deformation-induced excitation of the halide ions in V₂-centres or any other hole centres. For the deformation-induced excitation of the halide ions in V₂-centres, or in other centres, the following four models may be considered: (i) free electron generation model, (ii) electron–hole recombination model, (iii) dislocation exciton radiative decay model and (iv) dislocation exciton energy transfer model. The dislocation exciton energy transfer model is found to be suitable for the coloured alkali halide crystals. According to the dislocation exciton energy transfer model, during the deformation of solids the moving dislocations capture electrons from the F-centres and then they capture holes from the hole centres and consequently the formation of dislocation excitons takes place. Subsequently, the energy released during the decay of dislocation excitons excites the halide ions of the V₂-centres or any other hole centres and the light emission occurs during the de-excitation of the excited halide ions, which is the characteristic of halide ions. The mechanism of ML in irradiated alkali halide crystals is different from that of the TL in which the electrons released form F-centres due to the thermal vibrations of lattices reach the conduction band and the energy released during the electron–hole recombination excites the halide ions in V₂-centres or in any other hole centres. It is shown that the phenomenon of ML may give important information about the dislocation bands in coloured alkali halide crystals.     

通过形变势弱耦合表面极化子的性质

采用Huybrechts线性组合算符和幺正变换法,导出了晶体中电子与表面光学声子和表面声学声子均为弱耦合极化子的有效哈密顿量,并对两种极限情况进行了讨论。     

Correlation between deformation bleaching and mechanoluminescence in coloured alkali halide crystals

The present paper reports the correlation between deformation bleaching of coloration and mechanoluminescence (ML) in coloured alkali halide crystals. When the F-centre electrons captured by moving dislocations are picked up by holes, deep traps and other compatible traps, then deformation bleaching occurs. At the same time, radiative recombination of dislocation captured electrons with the holes gives rise to the mechanoluminescence. Expressions are derived for the strain dependence of the density of colour centres in deformed crystals and also for the number of colour centres bleached. So far as strain, temperature, density of colour centres, E _a and volume dependence are concerned, there exists a correlation between the deformation bleaching and ML in coloured alkali halide crystals. From the strain dependence of the density of colour centres in deformed crystals, the value of coefficient of deformation bleaching D is determined and it is found to be 1.93 and 2.00 for KCl and KBr crystals, respectively. The value of (D+χ) is determined from the strain dependence of the ML intensity and it is found to be 2.6 and 3.7 for KCl and KBr crystals, respectively. This gives the value of coefficient of deformation generated compatible traps χ to be 0.67 and 1.7 for KCl and KBr crystals, respectively.     

磁场中与形变势相互作用的表面极化子的有效质量

近年来 ,磁场中极性晶体表面极化子的性质已引起人们的广泛关注。Ｌａｒｓｅｎ[1 ] 采用四级微扰法计算了磁场中二维极化子的基态能量。Ｗｅｉ等[2 ] 用格林函数方法研究了交界面磁极化子的回旋共振质量和频率。本文作者之一[3] 用线性组合算符讨论了磁场中表面极化子的性质。实际上 ,到目前为止 ,对表面磁极化子的研究 ,只限于考虑表面电子只与表面光学 (ＳＯ)声子和体纵光学 (ＬＯ)声子相互作用 ,而忽略了表面电子与表面声学 (ＳＡ)声子相互作用。对电子通过形变势与晶格声学振动相互作用形成的准粒子 声学形变势 (ＡＤＰ)极化子性质的研…     

Specific features of the temperature quenching of luminescence of self-trapped excitons in alkali halide crystals under low-temperature deformation

The activation energy of temperature quenching of luminescence of self-trapped excitons in alkali halide crystals subjected to low-temperature uniaxial deformation is evaluated experimentally. It is found that an increase in the activation energy is observed in the following series of crystals: KBr → NaCl → KI → NaBr → CsBr → RbI. The effect of enhancement of intrinsic luminescence of alkali halide crystals due to the lowering of the symmetry of the crystal lattice under low-temperature uniaxial deformation is interpreted by analyzing the observed increase in the activation energy that characterizes the height of the potential barrier separating channels of radiative and nonradiative decay (with the formation of radiation defects) of self-trapped excitons.     

Charge-Transfer Processes in Doped Alkali Halides

Defects formation under UV-irradiation in the impurity-induced absorption bands at 4.2 K has been studied for crystals with and without traps for electrons (CsI:Pb and Eu^2?-doped alkali halides, respectively). In both cases the results have been explained by an electron transfer from the impurity-perturbed halogen ion states, resulting in the appearance of electrons and holes in the crystal. In CsI:Pb, the electrons are trapped by lead ions and the holes are self-trapped. In Eu^2?-doped crystals, the electrons and the holes recombine with the formation of excitons, whose decay results in the creation of Frenkel defects.     

Filling of traps with electrons in insulators subjected to intense electron irradiation

The efficiency of nonequilibrium electron trapping by capture centers in alkali halide crystals, quartz, and polymethyl methacrylate exposed to an intense electron beam with a beam current density of about 20 A/cm² is studied. The trapped charge is estimated from the amount of irradiation-induced electrification of high-resistivity materials. It is shown that traps having captured thermalized electrons become depleted via impact ionization due to the primary electrons of the beam and secondary electrons.     

Exchange effects in ODESR of F center pairs in alkali halides

The electron paramagnetic resonance of F center pairs has been measured by means of an optical detection in the following alkali halide crystals at a microwave frequency of 35 GHz: KC1, NaC1, RbC1, KBr, KI and CsBr. Besides the ESR of the ground and excited states, a third resonance line is observed and is attributed to a pair effect due to an exchange interaction between nearest neighbour F centers. A model based on this assumption is developed.     

About the F-center production efficiency in NaCl irradiated with electrons

The irradiation with electrons of a few MeV energy of NaCl crystals, thicker than the electron range, produces F-band, the absorption of which is not constant with the depth. Taking into account the inhomogeneity of the F-center density, we give the first results of the mean efficiency of the F-center production with the 0.25, 1.25 and 2.25 MeV electrons, which fit very well in the Ritz's summary of the efficiency measurements.     

Characteristics of F centers in the ground and excited states in alkali halide crystals

The molecular-statics method and the Gourary-Adrian approach are used to calculate the displacements of the lattice ions nearest to the F center in alkali halide crystals with NaCl and CsCl structures (altogether, twenty crystals). The calculations are performed for the 1s and 2p states of the F-center electron with allowance for the angular dependence of the Coulomb potential created by the electron in the 2p state. The absorption and emission energies of the F center are calculated. The calculated energies agree qualitatively with experiment and reproduce the experimentally found tendencies of changes in these energies when going from one crystal to another.     

Electrical breakdown in solid dielectrics

The mechanism of electrical breakdown in solid dielectrics is analyzed using the results of our investigations performed in this direction over a period of several decades. It is shown that the electrical breakdown in solid dielectrics involves interrelated prebreakdown processes, such as high-voltage polarization, defect formation, electron impact excitation and electron impact ionization of luminescence centers and ions in the host crystal lattice, etc. The electrical breakdown is initiated by electric-field and thermal generation of defects in the crystal. In turn, the generation of defects leads to the formation of defect regions and channels that provide an assisted transfer of charge carriers. Electron currents flow (and electrons are accelerated by the electric field to energies sufficient to induce impact ionization) in these regions of the crystal with a lattice distorted by defects. In this respect, the known approaches to the elaboration of the breakdown theory for alkali halide and other dielectric crystals on the basis of analyzing the motion and acceleration of electrons in an ideal crystal structure have appeared to be incorrect.     

Evolution of Anion and Cation Excitons in Alkali Halide Crystals

The manifestations of the existence of free anion excitons, the processes of their self-trapping, and the coexistence of mobile and self-trapped excitons (STEs) in wide-gap alkali halide crystals are reviewed. The radiative channel of decay of anion excitons, yielding luminescence, and a particular type of nonradiative channel with the creation of elementary Frenkel defects (FDs) are considered. We analyzed the criteria for the efficiency of this channel for defect formation, possible mechanisms for the decay of self-trapped excitons with the production of neutral and charged anion Frenkel defects, and the processes of multiplication of electronic excitations in alkali halide crystals. Particular attention is paid to the decay of cation excitons, including from the point of view of the possibility of the low-temperature creation of elementary Frenkel defects in the cation sublattice of alkali halide crystals.     

On the localization of plastic strain under compression of LiF crystals

The plastic flow localization patterns for alkali halide LiF crystals under compression have been investigated. The main spatiotemporal regularities of the strain localization at different stages of deformation hardening in the single crystals have been established. The relation has been traced between the orientation of localized strain zones and the crystallography of slip systems of the test specimens studied simultaneously by the double-exposure speckle photography and photoelasticity methods.     

The trapping effect of sulfur sensitization center Ag<Subscript>2</Subscript>S cluster on T-grain AgBrI microcrystals

The microwave absorption dielectric-spectrum technique was used to study the decay kinetics of photoelectrons in sulfur-sensitized silver halide crystals. The time-resolution spectrum of free electrons and shallow-trapped electrons generated in sulfur-sensitized AgBrl crystals has been obtained. The relationship of the trapping effect of sensitization centers Ag₂S and sensitization time or temperature in emulsions has been duscussed. With the increase in the sensitization time and temperature, the trap effect of sulfur sensitization centers varies from hole trap to shallow electron trap, and deep electron trap.     

Thin-film aggregate color centers as media for frequency domain optical storage

Thin films of aggregate color centers have been produced by electron and ion irradiation of bulk alkali halide crystals. The transverse spatial distribution of the centers was controlled on a submicron scale using electron lithography. Photochemical hole burning has been accomplished for the first time in a thin film of color centers, using the 6070 Å zero-phononN ₁ line produced by ion and electron irradiation of NaF crystals.     

Electronic excitations owing to plastic deformation of ionic crystals

Electron emission and luminescence accompanying plastic deformation of alkali halide crystals are studied. It is shown that the intersection of dislocations can cause electronic excitation. Deformation electron emission and luminescence are produced by relaxation of these excitations. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 41, 900–902 (May 1999)     

Muonium centers in the alkali halides

Muonium centers (Mu) in single crystals and powdered alkali halides have been studied using the high-timing-resolution transverse field μSR technique. Mu has been observed and its hyperfine parameter (HF) determined inevery alkali halide. For the rocksalt alkali halides, the HF parameter A_μ shows a systematic dependence on the host lattice constant. A comparison of the Mu HF parameter with hydrogen ESR data suggests that the Mu center is the muonic analogue of the interstitial hydrogenH _i ⁰ -center. The rate of Mu diffusion can be deduced from the motional narrowing of the nuclear hyperfine interaction. KBr shows two different Mu states, a low-temperatureMu ^I -state and a high-temperatureMu ^II -state.