Paramagnetic defects in neutron-irradiated phenakite crystals

Radiation-disordered crystals of phenakite Be₂SiO₄ (at fast neutron fluences of (0.75, 1.0, 1.2, 6.6, 8.5) × 10¹⁸ cm⁻²) have been investigated using EPR spectroscopy. It has been established that the main radiation damages predominantly occur in the silicon-oxygen sublattice of the crystal. Vacancy centers (E′ centers, g = 2.0015), defects of the displaced oxygen type, and O⁻ hole-type centers have been revealed. The paramagnetic absorption signal with the parameters g _x = 2.0218, g _y = 2.0124, and g _z = 2.0027 has been identified with the SiO₄]³⁻ complex (a variety of O⁻ centers). The intense EPR signals with the parameters g _x = 2.0526, g _y = 2.0020, g _z = 2.0066 and g _x = 2.0290, g _y = 2.0030, g _z = 2.0099 have been assigned to two types of O₂⁻ molecular ions with different local environments. The theoretical models of radiation-induced centers have been discussed by comparing the EPR and optical spectroscopic data.