Positron annihilation study of voids in a neutron irradiated aluminum single crystal

We have measured the lifetimes of positrons in an aluminum single crystal which was irradiated to a fast neutron fluence of 1.5·10²¹ n/cm² (>0.18 MeV) at 50°C. These irradiation conditions produced 4.2·10¹⁴ voids/cm³ with a mean diameter of 330 Å, as determined by both small-angle x-ray scattering and transmission electron microscopy. The positron lifetime spectra were resolved into three lifetime components of 100, 300, and 500 ps. The short lifetime component is a result of fast trapping of positrons by the voids; the long lifetime components result from annihilations within the voids. The intensity of the long lifetime components increases with temperature in the range 80 to 300 K and supports the model of a positron state at the void surface. The positron diffusion coefficient appears to have aT ^1/2-dependence. A magnetic quenching experiment shows no indication of positronium formation. Finally, an isochronal heat treating sequence shows that the voids anneal out between 200 and 300°C, and that the lifetime spectrum after annealing is described by a single component of 170 ps, the observed lifetime in unirradiated aluminum.     

Temperature dependence of positron annihilation parameters in neutron irradiated molybdenum

Positron lifetime measurements have been performed for molybdenum samples containing different densities of voids and dislocation loops. The samples consisted of single crystal molybdenum exposed to 2.7×10¹⁸ fast neutrons/cm₂ at 60°C, and subsequently annealed at 650°, 725°, 800°, and 875°C in vacuum (p<10^–7 Torr). After each annealing, where the densities of voids and loops were changed, positron lifetime measurements were performed in the temperature interval [–194°, 285°C]. In two-term fits of the measured spectra the longer lifetime, _e2-460 ps corresponds to an intensityI _e2 increasing with sample temperature. The shorter lifetime _e1 decreases with increasing temperature. A three-state trapping model with and without detrapping is discussed, and appears to be incapable of explaining the observed temperature dependences. A four-state positron trapping model including detrapping is necessary and satisfactory. It describes positron trapping to voids and trapping to dislocation loops, which is followed by a competition between detrapping and positron transition to jogs or other dislocation-bound defects. Mathematical expressions of the four-state trapping model including detrapping are worked out and calculations of the intensityI _e2 are compared with the experimental values ofI _e2. By use of special models for the temperature dependence of trapping rates, numerical values can be determined for the positron-dislocation-binding energy and for specific positron trapping rates.     

Positron annihilation in Ge-S glasses

Positron lifetime and Doppler broadening measurements have been carried out on GeS_1.375 and GeS_1.5 glasses. A pronounced decrease of the mean lifetime was observed at crystallization of GeS_1.375 glass into the GeS structure. Also the Doppler-broadened curves are strongly sensitive to this solid-solid phase transition. Unlike the situation for many metals, the positron annihilation parameters were found non-sensitive to fast neutron irradiation doses as high as 10¹⁹ n/cm². No difference between positron annihilation parameters measured on GeS_1.375 and GeS_1.5 glasses was found. The state of the positron in the GeS glasses is discussed on the basis of these results. The idea is put forward, that the GeS-GeS₂ system provides possibilities of sample parameter variations that might prove useful in the understanding of the positron state in non-metallic solids.     

Positron annihilation study of ordering processes in rare-earth cobalt permanent magnets

The ordering process in 1/5 and in 2/17 Sm-Co permanent magnets was followed by positron annihilation lifetime and Doppler broadening measurements. No correlation between magnetic hardness and positron annihilation parameters was found.     

Positron annihilation in synthetic zeolites

Both lifetime and angular correlation of positron annihilation have been measured for a series of synthetic zeolites for which the void structures are known fairly well. All of the zeolites had long lifetime components and a narrow momentum component which are ascribable to o-Ps and p-Ps annihilations in the voids, respectively. The correlation between the width of the p-Ps narrow component and the size of the largest voids showed a remarkable agreement with a theoretical estimate based on the spherical potential well model. The measurement of p-Ps momentum thus appears to be prospective as a tool to determine the size of voids of materials. The lifetime of the long lifetime component, on the other hand, showed a poor correlation with the void size even from a qualitative viewpoint, suggesting that factors other than the simple void size effect are dominant in determining the o-Ps lifetimes. Discussion is made on the cause of the different dependences of o-Ps and p-Ps annihilation parameters on the void size. It has also been found that p-Ps fraction is always larger than one third of the o-Ps fraction in all the zeolites studied. A discussion is presented on this point, too.Formerly, RIISOM     

Positron annihilation in small metal voids

The electron density profile around small voids of varying radii in Al is calculated in a fully self-consistent manner using the density-functional formalism of Hohenberg-Kohn-Sham. The results are then used to calculate positron lifetimes and angular correlation between annihilation photons as a function of the size of the void.     

Positron annihilation spectroscopy and specific heat study of Neon ion irradiated MgB2

Specific heat studies under magnetic field and positron annihilation spectroscopy were carried out on 160 MeV Ne ion irradiated polycrystalline MgB₂ samples. There is an unusual decrease in positron lifetime in the irradiated sample which may be due to neon ion implantation. This was also indicated by change in cell volume. Coincidence Doppler Broadening Spectra of Mg, B, irradiated and unirradiated MgB₂ show that positrons primarily annihilate in boron sublattice in the unirradiated sample whereas there is some similarity of the spectrum of the irradiated sample with that of Mg. There is Mg deficiency in the unirradiated sample whereas predominantly boron vacancies exist in Ne ion irradiated MgB₂ sample. Specific heat measurements show that there is a small increase in electronic part of the specific heat and electron-phonon coupling constant.     

Positron annihilation study of defects in the cyclically transformed martensite phase in a Cu-Zn-Al Alloy

Positron annihilation lineshape and lifetime measurements showed that by thermal cycling through the martensitic phase transformation, defects are introduced in Cu-Zn-Al alloys. It was concluded that mobile and immobile defects were introduced, most probably vacancies and dislocations.     

Positron annihilation and Hall effect in electron irradiatedn-InP crystals

Positron annihilation and Hall effect inn-InP crystals as a function of electron irradiation up to 1 · 10¹⁹ cm^–2 and post-irradiated isochronal annealing up to 550 °C have been studied. It is concluded that in irradiatedn-InP samples positrons interact with negatively charged acceptor-type defect with level atE _c –0.33 eV, probablyV _In (primary defect). In post-irradiated isochronal annealed (up to 330 °C) samples ofn-InP positron trapping occurs preferably in secondary defects-vacancy clusters, which are formed in the temperature range (150–300 °C). Inn-InP crystals containing radiation induced defects the trapping rate was found to decrease with temperature in the range (300–77) K.     

Defect study on electron irradiated GaAs by means of positron annihilation

Measurements of the positron lifetime and Doppler-broadened annihilation-radiation have been performed in electron-irradiated GaAs. The positron lifetime at the irradiation induced defects was 0.250 ns at 300 K. The defect clustering stage was found to occur at around 520–620 K, and the coarsening and annealing stage is believed to be above 620 K. Similar annealing stages were also observed in GaAs lightly doped with Si (0.2×10¹⁸ cm^–3). Both the lifetime and the S-parameter in the irradiated GaAs were found to decrease with temperature from 300 K to 100 K, suggesting the coexistence of shallow traps in electron irradiated GaAs.     

Positron annihilation in the quenched and electron-irradiated NiSb intermetallic compound

Samples of the near equiatomic NiSb compound were irradiated by 3 MeV electrons at 20 K or quenched from 1103 K and 1333 K and subsequently annealed isochronally. The behaviour of defects created by quench or irradiation were studied by the positron annihilation technique. Only one recovery stage was found around 425 K for quenched specimens, but two distinct stages (100 K and 425 K) were observed after irradiation. The 425 K stage is ascribed to the migration of Ni vacancies giving dislocation loops. The recombination of mobile interstitials with vacancies after irradiation is assumed to occur between 100 K and 250 K. Doppler broadening and lifetime variations of positrons as a function of the measuring temperature in these irradiation samples are discussed.     

Positron annihilation in electron irradiated Cz-Si

Defects in electron irradiated Cz-Si were studied by the positron annihilation technique. In order to know effects of the thermal history of crystals on the introduction of defects, the specimen was quenched from 1390°C to room temperature before irradiation. A clear correlation between results obtained by the positron annihilation experiments and those by infrared spectroscopy was established. From the isochronal annealing experiment, it was found that oxygen clusters were introduced by quenching treatments.     

Positron annihilation in gamma irradiated crystals

The angular correlation between the two gamma-quanta arising from positron annihilation in untreated and gamma-irradiated alkali halides is reported. For low level gamma irradiation the percentage of positrons annihilating with F-centre electrons is not very significant. When the F-centre concentration is increased to as much as 1.5 × 10¹⁷ per cm³, about 15 per cent of positrons annihilate with F-centre electrons. The angular correlation curve becomes progressively narrower with increase in F-centre concentration. Positrons annihilating in gamma-irradiated crystals reduce the F-centre considerably. The results of a systematic investigation on F-centre bleaching by positron annihilation are reported.     

Positron studies of hydrogen-defect interactions in proton irradiated molybdenum

Molybdenum single crystals are irradiated at 20 K with 6 MeV protons. The radiation damage and lattice defect annealing is studied by positron lifetime spectroscopy in the temperature range from 15 to 720 K. Loss of vacancies due to recombination with mobile interstitials is observed at 40 K (Stage I) in agreement with resistivity measurements. This is the first time Stage I is observed by positrons below 77 K. The implanted hydrogen decorates the vacancies around 100 K, which is consistent with a hydrogen migration energy in molybdenum:E _M ^H = 0.3–0.4 eV. Clustering of spatially correlated vacancies takes place in a wide temperature region below the usual vacancy clustering stage (Stage III). Stage III is observed at rather low temperatures (400–480 K) due to the very high vacancy concentration. Hydrogen bound to vacancies and vacancy clusters is released above 540 K, which puts an upper limit to the hydrogen binding energy:E _B ^H 1.4 eV. The present work emphasizes the advantage of employing a vacancy sensitive technique to study hydrogen in metals, where its intrinsic solubility is low. In such metals (as molybdenum) both the effective solubility and the effective mobility of hydrogen are strongly influenced by the presence of vacancies.     

Positron annihilation study of helium clustering in alpha irradiated copper

Abstract

Helium clustering in alpha irradiated copper has been investigated by positron annihilation spectroscopy. Pure copper samples have been homogeneously helium implanted using a cyclotron, yielding helium concentrations of 100 appm and 400 appm. Post-implantation positron lifetime and Doppler broadened annihilation lineshape measurements have been carried out on these Cu samples as a function of isochronal annealing temperature. An annealing stage observed in the isochronal annealing curve viz., a marked reduction in the resolved lifetime τ₂ and an increase of its intensity I ₂, is explained as due to the formation of helium bubble embryos. At higher annealing temperatures, τ₂ corresponding to helium bubbles increases and saturates while its intensity I ₂ decreases, indicating an increase in the size of the bubble with a concomitant decrease in the bubble concentration. This stage is interpreted to be the bubble growth stage. From an analysis of positron lifetime parameters in the growth stage, helium stom density, bubble size and bubble concentration have been deduced at various annealing temperatures. The bubble characteristics are found to be affected by the helium dose. The present results on direct helium implanted Cu are compared with those of our earlier study on n-irradiated Cu-B, where helium was introduced using ¹⁰B(n, α)⁷ Li reaction.     

Positron annihilation at defects in sintered high-T c perovskite superconductors

We report positron lifetime measurements in sintered superconducting YBa₂Cu₃O_7–x and GdBa₂Cu₃O_7–x oxides. It is shown that the thermal behaviour of the positron lifetime spectra strongly depends on the preparation of the ceramics. A lifetime of 190±3 ps is attributed to oxygen deficient regions. Two lifetimes of 251±7 ps and 225 ±5 ps are attributed to a cation vacancy presenting a temperature dependent atomic arrangement. The lifetime transition (251225ps) occurs during decreases in temperature across the resistivity superconducting transition. This lifetime change indicates that the volume of the cation vacancy decreases in the superconducting state.     

Positron annihilation in synthetic zeolites (II) magnetic quenching effect

Positron lifetime spectra were re-measured for a series of synthetic zeolites using a large time window of observation. Magnetic quenching experiments were also performed for the zeolites, and it has been confirmed that both the ₄ and the ₃ components are due to o-Ps. The annihilation rate of the third component, ₃, showed a good correlation with the size of the largest voids, which is similar to the correlation reported for other compounds. However the annihilation rate of the longest-lived component, ₄, showed a poor correlation with the void size. The ₃ component has thus been assigned to o-Ps in the regular voids of the zeolites, and the ₄ component to that escaped to inter-particle open spaces.     

Positron annihilation in diamond,silicon and silicon carbide

Recent positron lifetime and doppler broadening results on silicon, diamond and silicon carbide are presented in this contribution. In as-grown Czochralski Si ingols vacancies are found to be retained after growth at concentrations typically around 3×10¹⁶/cm³. 10 MeV eleciron irradiation of variously doped Si wafers shows that only high doping concentrations well in excess of the interstitial oxygen concentration causes an increase in the amount of monovacancies retained.In porous silicon very long-lived positronium lifetimes in the range 40–90 ns are found. Polycrystalline diamond films contain various types of vacancy agglomerates but these are found to be inhomogeneously distributed from crystallite to crystallite. Electron irradiation of silicon carbide results in two vacancy-related lifetimes which are interpreted as resulting from carbon and silicon vacancies.Paper presented at the 132nd WE-Heraeus-Seminar on Positron Studies of Semiconductor Defects, Halle, Germany, 29 August to 2 September 1994     

Positron annihilation study of the micro-defects induced by cavitation in mild steel

Cavitation-induced micro-defects in mild steel after cavitation experiment in the fluid field have been studied by positron Doppler broadening measurement and positron annihilation lifetime spectra (PALS). Depth-resolved positron Doppler S-parameter (DPDS) results showed that S-parameter increased and micro-defects between the surface and the bulk has obvious variation with depth during the cavitation process. From the positron lifetime results, it was found that the size and number of micro-defects increase with the development of cavitation. These results suggest that more micro-defects are generated in mild steel bulk during the cavitation process than those in the mild steel surface layer region, although more mico-defects seen in the mild steel surface layer. Moreover, the size of micro-defects in mild steel bulk increases remarkably owing to their transfer and aggregation.     

Positron annihilation in copper single crystals

A point geometry angular correlation measurement of the annihilation radiation from an annealed single crystal of copper is presented. The results are compared with results for an unannealed sample and theoretical predictions obtained from a simple picture of the electronic wave-functions combined with two models for the positron wavefunction.