An electron paramagnetic resonance study of LDPE irradiated with high-energy electron beam

Cross-linking of the polyethylene was performed with a high-energy electron beam. Electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy was used to study the lifetime of unpaired electron in the irradiated samples. Time-dependent electrical parameters are investigated for the cross-linked low-density polyethylene. Both dielectric constant and dielectric strength almost remained unchanged, but for short times, the volume resistivity and loss factor increased and decreased, respectively. It is predicted that for lifetime longer than 48 h, the electrical parameters were constant. It is believed that the variation of some electrical properties during time is due to the effects of trapped electrons.     

Spectral,electron microscopic and chemical investigations of gamma-induced purple color zonings in amethyst crystals from the Dursunbey-Balıkesir region of Turkey

Amethyst crystals on matrix specimens from the Dursunbey-Bal?kesir region in Turkey have five representative purple color zonings: dark purple, light purple, lilac, orchid, and violet. The purple color zonings have been analyzed with optical absorption spectra in the visible wavelength region, chemical full trace element analyses (inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectroscopy), and scanning electron microscopic images with high magnification. It can be proposed that the production of the purple color in amethyst crystals is due to three dominant absorption bands centered at 375, 530, and 675 nm, respectively. In addition, the purple color zonings are also due to four minor absorption bands centered at 435, 480, 620, and 760 nm. X-ray diffraction graphics of the investigated amethyst crystals indicate that these crystals are composed of a nearly pure alpha-quartz phase and do not include any moganite silica phase and/or other mineral implications. Trace element analyses of the amethyst crystals show five representative purple color zonings, suggesting that the absorption bands can be mainly attributed to extrinsic defects (chemical impurities). However, another important factor that influences all structural defects in amethyst is likely to be the gamma irradiation that exists during amethyst crystallization and its inclusion in host materials. This gamma irradiation originates from the large underlying intrusive granitoid body in the region of amethyst formation. Irradiation modifies the valence values of the impurity elements in the amethyst crystals. It is observed that the violet-colored amethyst crystals have the most stable and the least reversible coloration when exposed to strong light sources. This situation can be related to the higher impurity content of Fe (2.50 ppm), Co (3.1 ppm), Ni (38 ppm), Cu (17.9 ppm), Zn (10 ppm), Zr (3.9 ppm), and Mo (21.8 ppm).     

DLTS and in situ C–V analysis of trap parameters in swift 50 MeV Li3+ ion-irradiated Ni/SiO2/Si MOS capacitors

Ni/SiO₂/Si MOS structures were fabricated on n-type Si wafers and were irradiated with 50 MeV Li³⁺ ions with fluences ranging from 1×10¹⁰ to 1×10¹² ions/cm². High frequency C–V characteristics are studied in situ to estimate the build-up of fixed and oxide charges. The nature of the charge build-up with ion fluence is analyzed. Defect levels in bulk Si and its properties such as activation energy, capture cross-section, trap concentration and carrier lifetimes are studied using deep-level transient spectroscopy. Electron traps with energies ranging from 0.069 to 0.523 eV are observed in Li ion-irradiated devices. The dependence of series resistance, substrate doping and accumulation capacitance on Li ion fluence are clearly explained. The study of dielectric properties (tan δ and quality factor) confirms the degradation of the oxide layer to a greater extent due to ion irradiation.     

Investigations on the formation of tracks in crystals

The minimal energy loss (dE/d ζ)_k [MeV cm²/mg] for the formation of a track in an insulator has been determined for mica, tourmaline, quartz glass, quartz crystal, lithium niobate and beryl. The investigations show that the (dE/d ζ)_k value of a track detector can be roughly estimated from the thermal conductivity of the given material.     

Molecular and optical modifications in poly(vinyl chloride) due to N-phenylmaleimide additives and gamma irradiation

The effects of N-phenylmaleimide (NPMI) concentration and gamma dose on the molecular and optical properties of poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) have been studied. The results reveal an improvement in the intrinsic viscosity of PVC in the presence of an organic material. The effective concentration that enhanced the intrinsic viscosity, from 1.02 to 1.28, was found to be 10 mmol NPMI per 100 g PVC. The effect of gamma irradiation on the PVC polymer stabilized with this concentration of NPMI has been studied. Samples from the 0.01 g NPMI/1 g PVC were irradiated with gamma doses in the range 5–180 kGy. It is found that irradiation in the dose range 120–180 kGy enhances the intrinsic viscosity of the samples. In addition, the transmission of these irradiated samples in the wavelength range 200–2500 nm, as well as any color changes was studied. The color intensity (Δ E) was greatly increased with the increasing gamma dose, and was accompanied by darkness with a significant increase in the yellow color component.     

Triple resonance investigation of F centres in BaFCl

Abstract

In BaFCl two types of F centres can be produced, where the electron occupies a Cl^? vacancy [F(Cl^?)-centres] or an F^? vacancy [F(F^?)-centres]. When producing F(F^?)-centres the simultaneous production of F(Cl^?)-centres cannot be avoided. Both ESR spectra overlap strongly. The ENDOR spectra contain very many lines of both centres and have a very complicated angular dependence. It is shown that the angular dependence of the ENDOR spectra of both F centres can be measured separately by applying a double ENDOR technique (called also Triple Resonance). The ratio of the signal heights of the ENDOR lines compared to the double ENDOR lines is characteristic for the neighbour shell to which the nuclei involved belong. The use of this effect for the analysis of the spectra and its explanation are discussed.     

Effect of hydrogen introduced by channelling implantation on the microstructures in silicon wafers

High-resolution transmission electron microscopy has been employed to study the platelet defects before annealing and the extended defects generated by annealing in the channelling-implanted silicon wafers. It has been found that there apparently appear platelet defects of quite great size and spacing at the maximum projected range of ions (R _max). Additionally, the cracks induced by annealing at 550 °C are generated around R _max instead of the average projected range of ions (R _p) as it is in the non-channelling-implanted samples. Moreover, after annealing at 1000 °C, cracks without branches and cavities arranging in a single array, different from the forked cracks and cavities arranged in several arrays in the non-channelling-implanted samples, are observed in the channelling-implanted silicon wafers. It is suggested that those special microstructure characteristics are ascribed to the channelling effect of implanted hydrogen ions.     

Effect of laser irradiation on the electrical properties of dysprosium doped LiCo-Ferrite

The effect of laser irradiation on the electrical properties of Li_0.5+z Co _z Dy _x Fe_2.5?2z?x O₄ ferrite (0.0 ≤ x ≤ 0.2, z = 0.1) has been studied in the temperature range 300 K ≤ T ≤ 750 K at frequencies of 10 kHz?5 MHz, using a LIMO-IR laser diode, at a wavelength of 808 nm. It was found that laser irradiation increases the polarization, the resistivity and the paramagnetic region. As the result of electronic rearrangement and lattice defects, small polorons and clusters were created. The doping of LiCo-Ferrite by Dy³⁺ increases both the AC and DC resistance of the investigated material. The variation of the AC and DC resistance with the Dy-content (x) obeys the following correlations R _ac/100 = 50x ²+4x+0.005 and R _dc/1000 = 31x ²+0.099x+0.09, respectively. A peculiar behaviour was obtained for the sample with Dy-content x = 0.075, as the resistance notably decreases. The applicable result is that laser irradiation increases the resistance of LiCo-ferrite by about 17% while its doping by dysprosium at x = 0.15 increases the resistance by about 23%. Its value is nearly stable for the temperature range from 340 to 480 K.     

Extraction of intense beams from ECR ion sources and electrostatic acceleration

High-space charge effects and problems related to beam transport are discussed in the context of an electron cyclotron-resonance ion sources extraction and pre-acceleration low emittance line (which works as the injector of a new superconducting Radio Frequency Quadruple (RFQ) under commissioning at Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro (LNL)) at several values of the extracted beam current. In the extractor, both the cases of short-range magnetic fringe field (virtual source approximation) and large-range fringe field are simulated. Analytical expression of ion flow and plasma sheaths are easily incorporated in the charged fluid approach and in numerical modeling with three-dimensional simulation programs, which can treat several coupled field variables and lower space dimension (known as multiphysics codes). Advantages of flexibility and of representation of finer details are remarked. Effects of plasma potential and extraction hole thickness (0.5 mm) on the plasma meniscus can be resolved, even in the context of a simulation including 1 m long objects. An example of beam injection into an acceleration tube is also given; results are consistent with the tube-design goals and with the experimentally observed parameters.     

Radiation-induced transmission loss in optical materials at infrared wavelengths

Information concerning the effect of irradiation on the optical properties of materials in the infrared, sub-mm-and mm-wavelength regions is of increasing importance in fusion plasma diagnostics. The radiation induced transmission loss of a number of materials has therefore been investigated at wavelengths in the ranges 200 nm to 40 μm and 0.23 to 2.0 mm. The samples were irradiated with doses of up to 10¹⁰ rad in a nuclear reactor. While germanium shows considerable transmission loss at doses as low as 10⁶ rad, and the transmission of TPX decreases at 10⁹ rad, other materials, e.g. fused quartz and possibly ZnSe, exhibit sufficient radiation hardness for use in fusion plasma diagnostics.