Metallic films forming on the surface of alkali-halide crystals during thermal diffusion of intracrystalline immpurities

It was detected for the first time that films consisting of a transition-metal-based structure form (via thermal diffusion of intracrystalline impurities) on the surface of alkali-halide (LiF, NaF) crystals activated by transition metals Co, Ni, or Mn. The thickness, density, and composition of the films are shown to be different, depending on the heat treatment conditions. The crystals were annealed at temperatures varying from 473 to 1073 K in vacuum and air. The surface structures forming upon annealing in vacuum exhibit magnetic properties. The films were studied by optical, x-ray fluorescence, and electron spectroscopy to reveal the mechanisms of transition-metal film formation during thermal annealing.     

Formation of color centers during growth of alkali-earth fluoride crystals

New bands within the ranges of 1900–2200 and 700–1000 cm^–1 have been discovered in the IR absorption spectra of crystalline alkali-earth fluorides. It is found that the defects responsible for the high frequency bands facilitate the formation of color centers during crystal growth. These bands are presumably caused by valence vibrations of CO molecules. The low frequency bands are attributed to molecular complexes which contain oxygen-vacancy dipoles.     

Transformation of Radiation-Induced Molecular Point Defects and Color Centers in LiF Crystals under Influence of Light

Physics of the Solid State - The influences of UV light and integral light pulses from lamps on γ-irradiated LiF crystals with impurities of hydroxyl and magnesium ions have been investigated....     

Optical properties of the surface transition-metal structures in fluoride ionic crystals and peculiarities of their formation during thermal diffusion

The possibility of forming surface films with an elevated concentration of an impurity metal during high-temperature diffusion has been analyzed for a wide series of ionic crystals: LiF with Co, Ni, Mg, Ca, Ba, and Sr impurities; NaF with Co, Mn, Mg, Ca, and Sr; MgF₂ with Co and Ni; and CaF₂ with Co. It is established that films are formed only on alkali halide crystals with impurities of transition metals and are not formed on alkaline earth fluorides with transition metals, as well as on alkali halide crystals activated with other divalent cationic impurities. The dynamics of the increase and decrease in the intensity of centers related to impurity-vacancy dipoles during thermal diffusion is shown. The mechanisms of film formation are explained in terms of the features of growth and structure of ionic crystals with cationic impurities and on the basis of isomorphism rules.     

Formation and properties of metallic nanoparticles in lithium and sodium fluorides with radiation-induced color centers

The specific features of light- and temperature-induced formation of metallic nanoparticles in ??-irradiated LiF and NaF crystals have been investigated. Atomic force microscope images of nanoparticles of different sizes and in different locations have been presented. The relation between the crystal processing regimes and properties of the nanoparticles formed has been revealed. The optical properties of the processed crystals have been analyzed. The thermo- and light-stimulated processes underlying the formation of metallic nanoparticles in aggregation of the color centers and their decay due to the recovery of the crystal lattice have been studied.     

Formation of Color Centers and Molecular Complexes with a Weak Hydrogen Bond in Lithium Fluoride Crystals Depending on the Form of OH<Superscript>¯</Superscript> Inclusion

The form of oxygen-containing inclusions in the LiF crystal was shown to be determined by the laws of isomorphic substitution and impurity accumulation in a melt during crystal growth in open air. Color centers and hydrogen-bonded complexes of different types appear in the LiF crystal after irradiation depending on the form of OH^– and Mg²⁺ inclusions. The radiative decay of OH^– ions and the properties of molecular complexes (MCs) with a weak hydrogen bond are responsible for the decreased efficiency of formation of the F- and F₂-color centers and increased concentration of the positively charged F ₂ ⁺ - and F ₃ ⁺ -centers. Radiochemical reactions involving hydrogen and fluorine atoms and ions that compete with the formation of color centers were presented.     

Effect of oxygen impurity on the efficiency of the formation of complexes with H-bond and aggregation of color centers in lithium fluoride

The effect of impurities on the efficiency of the formation of color centers and hydrogen-bonded molecular complexes upon exposure to various radiations in lithium fluoride crystals grown in air is studied. The results of experiments for measuring optical properties, IR vibrational spectra, luminescence, and thermally stimulated luminescence are presented. The fact that the band in the range of 1800–2300 cm^–1 corresponds to stretching vibrations of a complex with strong hydrogen bond is proved based on the Fermi-resonance perturbation in the region of 2080 cm^–1, shaped as the Evans hole and bands A, B, and C. It is shown that the composition of these complexes includes an OH^– ion and an HF molecule. The crucial role of O^2? V _a ⁺ oxygen dipoles in the aggregation efficiency and gradient distribution of color centers and radiation resistance of hydroxyl ions is revealed. It is shown that products of radiation decomposition of OH^– ions stimulate, while decay of O^2? V _a ⁺ dipoles suppress, the formation of positively charged color centers.