Positron states and nanoobjects in proton-irradiated quartz single crystals: Positronium atom in quartz

The influence of proton bombardment and metal atom impurities on the structure of quartz single crystals has been studied. The related defects have been studied using positron annihilation spectroscopy (angular correlation of positron-annihilation photons), acoustic absorption, and optical absorption measurements. It is shown that the presence of a narrow component f in the angular distribution of annihilation photons (ADAP), which is related to the formation of parapositronium, determines a high sensitivity of this method with respect to features of the crystal structure of quartz. It is established that the defectness of the structure of irradiated quartz crystals can be characterized by the ratio f/f ₀ of the relative intensities of narrow components in the ADAP curves measured before (f ₀) and after (f) irradiation. Any process leading to a decrease in the probability of positronium formation (e.g., positron loss as a result of the trapping on defects and the interaction with impurity atoms and lattice distortions) decreases the intensity of the narrow component. Based on the ADAP data, estimates of the radii and concentrations of nanodefects in quartz have been obtained and their variation upon annealing at temperatures up to T = 873 K has been studied.     

Radiation-dose dependence of E′1 centers in samples of quartz containing uncharged oxygen vacancies

EPR is used to study the generation of E′₁ centers (oxygen vacancies that have trapped one electron) in quartz samples containing uncharged oxygen vacancies as a function of irradiation dose. It is found experimentally that an irradiation dose of order 400 Gy is sufficient to allow every oxygen vacancy to trap two electrons apiece in essentially all such quartz samples. The linear segment of the dose dependences of E′₁ centers in samples annealed at 300 °C for 15 minutes can be used to reconstruct prior radiation doses up to 60–70 Gy. If the concentration of oxygen vacancies in the original sample is larger than 10¹⁸ cm⁻³, the signal intensity from E′₁ centers in the sample can be used to detect radiation doses as low as 1–3 Gy, which is significantly lower than the minimum radiation dose detectable by other paramagnetic centers in quartz. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 40, 651–652 (April 1998)     

Mesoporosity in silica films studied by a slow positron beam and ellipsometry

Porous silica films were synthesized via a sol–gel method using a nonionic amphiphilic triblock copolymer F127 as the structural template. Mesoporosities of the prepared silica films were investigated by Doppler broadening of positron annihilation radiation (DBAR) spectroscopy, positron annihilation gamma-ray energy spectroscopy based on a slow positron beam, and ellipsometry. For the mesoporous silica films, the variation of positron annihilation line shape parameter reveals that the porosity of the silica films increases with loading more F127, which is also confirmed by a decrease of refractive index n. Little variation in positron 3γ-annihilation fraction is found for the silica films prepared with F127 loading less than 15 wt%, whereas a remarkable increment is seen for the films with higher loading. This indicates the pore percolation in porous silica films occurs around a loading of F127 with 15 wt%.     

High-momentum analysis in Doppler spectroscopy

Unique information about the chemical vicinity of positron annihilation sites is provided by the contribution of high electron momenta to the Doppler spectrum, since this momentum range is characteristic for the annihilation with core electrons and hence element specific. However, the corresponding energy region in the spectrum is overlaid by a huge background caused by the annihilation radiation itself and the Compton spectrum of other gamma lines having an energy above 511 keV. Usually these backgrounds are reduced by measuring both annihilation quanta in coincidence.By mathematically analyzing the background contributions, we open another possibility to obtain the high-momentum region employing one single germanium detector. A necessary precondition is employing either background-free positron beams or a low-background positron source, e.g. ⁶⁸Ge, instead of the widely used positron emitter ²²Na. The ⁶⁸Ge-source emits positrons with an endpoint energy of about 1.9 MeV, where as the contribution of gamma quanta having higher energies than the annihilation radiation at 511 keV is negligible low.When analyzing spectra from metals and semiconductors according to the described background subtraction, the same information contained in the momentum range up to 35 × 10⁻³m₀c or beyond can be extracted, as if the spectra were measured employing a coincidence setup with two Ge-detectors.     

MAPW calculation of the anisotropic positron annihilation in copper

The wave function ψ_? of a positron in Cu is calculated using the MAPW (modified augmented plane wave) method. This method, taking into account the correct symmetry of ψ_? inside the atomic polyhedron and yielding the appropriate behaviour near the nucleus, leads to rapidly converging results. The Hartree potential seen by the positron is constructed from the electronic wave functions determined by the MAPW method. It is found that the lowest eigenstate of the positron is a Γ₁ state. In a provisional calculation, the matrix elements describing the two-quantum angular distribution of positron annihilation radiation are computed using recent MAPW electron wave functions. Good agreement with the measured anisotropic positron annihilation is found.     

掺镧PbWO4闪烁晶体的缺陷研究

利用正电子湮没寿命谱(PAT)和X射线电子能谱(XPS)研究了掺镧所引起的PbWO₄ 晶体缺陷的变化.结果表明：掺镧后,PbWO₄晶体中的正电子捕获中心铅空位(V< sub>Pb)浓度增加,并进一步诱导低价氧浓度的增加.讨论了掺La的作用机制,认为掺 La将抑制晶体中的氧空位,增加铅空位浓度. 关键词： 掺镧钨酸铅晶体 正电子湮没寿命谱 X射线电子能谱 缺陷     

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.     

Slow positron beam study of corrosion-related defects in pure iron

Corrosion-related defects of pure iron were investigated by measuring Doppler broadening energy spectra (DBES) of positron annihilation and positron annihilation lifetime (PAL). Defect profiles of the S-parameter from DBES as a function of positron incident energy up to 30 keV (i.e. ∼1 μm depth) were analyzed. The DBES data show that S-parameter increases as a function of positron incident energy (mean depth) after corrosion, and the increase in the S-parameter is larger near the surface than in the bulk due to corrosion. Furthermore, information on defect size from PAL data as a function of positron incident energy up to 10 keV (i.e. ∼0.2 μm depth) was analyzed. In the two-state trapping model, the lifetime τ₂ = 500 ps is ascribed to annihilation of positrons in voids with a size of the order of nanometer. τ₁, which decreases with depth from the surface to the bulk, is ascribed to the annihilation of positrons in dislocations and three-dimensional vacancy clusters. The corroded samples show a significant increase in τ₁ and the intensity I₂, and near the surface the corroded iron introduces both voids and large-size three-dimensional vacancy clusters. The size of vacancy clusters decreases with depth.     

New electron centers in neutron-irradiated natural quartz

EPR measurements on neutron-irradiated natural quartz crystals from Brazil revealed the presence of two new electron centers, each with hyperfine structure due to one proton. In one of these centers this hyperfine splitting is typical for H^? which most likely substitutes for an oxygen whereas in the other a much smaller splitting due to an OH group was observed. The properties of these centers are compared with those of the E^′_n centers with closely related structures.     

EPR of a new defect in natural quartz: Possibly O-2

The EPR of a new defect in natural quartz has been measured with principal g-values 2.318(1), 1.972(1) and 1.959(1). ²⁹Si hyperfine interaction is found with one neighbouring Si site. The direction of the axis corresponding to the largest principal value of the g-tensor, is close to the direction joining two oxygen neighbours of a silicon vacancy. This and other evidence suggests that the center may be O^-₂.     

Positroniumlike system in quartz

Summary The ortho-state of the Ps-like system, which in crystalline quartz lives in Bloch states, has been detected in the time annihilation spectrum. Its lifetime and abundance are τ₃=0.49ns,I ₃=0.13. The magnetic quenching of this system has been measured and compared with that of Ps-like system living in other molecular media. This work was supported by CISM (Centro Interuniversitario di Struttura della Materia) of Ministero della Pubblica Istruzione and by GNSM (Gruppo Nazionale di Struttura della Materia) of CNR.     

Positron annihilation measurements across the superconducting transition in Y1Ba2Cu3O7−x

Positron lifetime and Doppler broadened annihilation radiation lineshape measurements have been carried out in Y₁Ba₂Cu₃O_7−x as a function of temperature in the range of 300 K to 58 K. The positron lifetime and the peak parameter of the annihilation radiation lineshape are observed to decrease on lowering the temperature without showing any discontinuous change across the superconducting transition temperature of 90 K as determined by susceptibility measurements. The variation of positron annihilation parameters with temperature in the superconducting state is significantly larger than that in the normal state. This is qualitatively explained in terms of the dimerization of oxygen ions in the superconducting state of Y₁Ba₂Cu₃O_7−x .     

Characterization of the E1′ center in quartz: Role of aluminum hole centers and oxygen vacancies

The growth of E₁′ centers in a variety of natural and synthetic quartz crystals has been investigated by employing the electron spin resonance technique. It has been reported that the growth of E₁′ centers, formed by irradiation and subsequent annealing at 300 °C for 15 min, scale with the concentration of the aluminum hole center, [AlO₄]⁰, till a limit. Later, the E₁′ centers show saturation even when the [AlO₄]⁰-center continues to grow. For quartz with low efficiency of the formation of [AlO₄]⁰-center or irradiated with low accumulated doses, the intensity of E₁′ center was small where not all oxygen vacancies are converted to the E₁′ center. Thus, besides the availability of a number of oxygen vacancy sites, the number of holes released from the [AlO₄]⁰-center plays an important role in the formation of E₁′ centers in quartz.     

Anisotropy of the electron momentum distribution in Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+δ superconductor studied by positron annihilation

The temperature dependent (30-300 K) Doppler broadening of the positron annihilated γ-radiation measurement has been investigated on single crystalline Bi₂Sr₂CaCu₂O_8+δ (Bi-2212) high T_c superconducting samples along two different crystallographic orientations. It has been observed that throughout the temperature range the electron momentum distribution has a larger value along the crystallographic c-axis than in the a-b plane. The temperature dependent Doppler broadened positron annihilation γ-radiation lineshape analysis shows a step like increase of S-parameter at the temperature region 92-116 K.     

Oxidation and thermal reduction of the Cu(1 0 0) surface as studied using positron annihilation induced Auger electron spectroscopy (PAES)

Changes in the surface of an oxidized Cu(1 0 0) single crystal resulting from vacuum annealing have been investigated using positron annihilation induced Auger electron spectroscopy (PAES). PAES measurements show a large increase in the intensity of the annihilation induced Cu M_2,3VV Auger peak as the sample is subjected to a series of isochronal anneals in vacuum up to annealing temperature 300 °C. The intensity then decreases monotonically as the annealing temperature is increased to ∼600 °C. Experimental probabilities of annihilation of surface-trapped positrons with Cu 3p and O 1s core-level electrons are estimated from the measured intensities of the positron annihilation induced Cu M_2,3VV and O KLL Auger transitions. Experimental PAES results are analyzed by performing calculations of positron surface states and annihilation probabilities of surface-trapped positrons with relevant core electrons taking into account the charge redistribution at the surface, surface reconstructions, and electron-positron correlations effects. The effects of oxygen adsorption on localization of positron surface state wave function and annihilation characteristics are also analyzed. Possible explanation is proposed for the observed behavior of the intensity of positron annihilation induced Cu M_2,3VV and O KLL Auger peaks and probabilities of annihilation of surface-trapped positrons with Cu 3p and O 1s core-level electrons with changes of the annealing temperature.     

Annihilation of positrons in aluminium oxide and phase transformations in this compound

Measurements have been made of the angular correlation N(θ) of positron annihilation quanta, the triquanta annihilation intensity I_3γ by the peak-to-peak method, and the average lifetimes of positrons in A1₂O₃. The measured quantities depend on the temperature at which the Al₂O₃ was obtained. It is assumed that there are two conversion centers of ortho -Ps. One is molecular oxygen adsorbed on the oxide surface and the other is the O^? ion which exists in A1₂O₃ obtained at lower temperatures, both on the surface and in the interior of the grains. The temperature ranges have been determined within which the changes in properties of the oxide with respect to the annihilation of positrons, occur slowly as well as those within which the changes occur rapidly. Among these properties are the vanishing of the postulated O^? ions with rise in temperature a probable diffusion of aluminium ions, and the vanishing of vacancies in the lattice structure (I_Ps). From the measurements of the rate characteristics the complete annihilation intensity I_xxx was calculated within the range from 0.34 to 96ns, and also annihilation intensity from para states of positronium I_p.     

Analysis of a possible explanation of the positron anomaly in terms of dark matter

The possibility of explaining the positron anomaly on the basis of models involving the darkmatter annihilation or decay is being widely discussed at the present time. However, such models are severely constrained by data on cosmic gamma radiation. Two different procedures that rely on the χ₂ criterion and which permit taking this constraint into account are considered in the present study. In one case, the use of positron data alone in searches for a minimum value of χ² via varying model parameters is followed by a comparison with gamma-radiation data. In the second case, the χ² functional is minimized by simultaneously employing positron and gamma-radiation data, whereby a more lenient (more “flexible”) constraint is obtained. Nevertheless, either procedure rules out the possibility of explaining the positron anomaly in terms of unstable dark matter distributed over the whole halo. The assumption that the dark-matter component undergoing annihilation (decay) is concentrated within the galactic disk makes it possible to remove the constraint in either case.     

Radiation dose response correlation between thermoluminescence and optically stimulated luminescence in quartz

The fast, linearly modulated optically stimulated luminescence (LM-OSL) component in quartz is the main dosimetric signal used for the dating applications of this material. Since the blue light stimulation (470 nm, 40 mW cm ${}^{?2}$) time needed to obtain the fast LM-OSL component is less than 50 s the electron trapping levels responsible for it are still highly populated. In this way an active radiation history is created which could play an important role in the dosimetric characteristics of the fast OSL signal. In the present work the dose response behavior of the fast OSL signal is investigated in quartz samples with an annealed radiation history and quartz samples possessing an artificial radiation history. A computerized curve de-convolution analysis of the LM-OSL curves for 50 s stimulation time showed that it consists of three individual OSL components. The faster component C₁ with peak maximum time around 5 s has a linear dose response in virgin samples, which turns to a slight superlinearity as a function of the artificial radiation history. On the other hand the component C₂ with peak maximum time at 12 s is slightly superlinear which turns into strong superlinearity as a function of artificial radiation history. Finally, component C₃ with peak maximum time at about 45 s is strongly superlinear for both virgin samples and as a function of artificial radiation history. The implications to practical application are discussed.     

Observation of light radiation induced by positrons in α-LiIO3 single crystals

Light radiation emitted by α-LiIO₃ single crystals under positron irradiation is detected. The radiation emergence model due to annihilation on two groups of electrons of the IO^-₃ quasimolecular complex is suggested to be in accordance with the annihilation data as well as with the electronic structure calculation results.