Aggregate color center formation processes in lithium fluoride crystals after irradiation

Lithium fluoride crystals were irradiated by different doses of gamma photons at a temperature of 77 K. We measured the aggregation kinetics for the color centers with different annealing temperatures above the temperature of anion vacancy mobility. We show that the lifetimes of the vacancies decrease while the lifetimes of the F₂⁺ F_2^{+} centers increase as the irradiation dose increases. We explain these types of dependences based on the aggregation processes for color centers in the post-radiation period. We determine the time constants and energies (analogous to activation energies in the Arrhenius equation) for the various processes involving rise and fall in the concentration of aggregate color centers. Based on the experimental data obtained, we have established the processes forming F ₂ and F₃⁺ F_3^{+} centers in the post-radiation period. The F ₂ centers are formed when vacancies ν_a add to F₁^- F_1^{-} centers. Vacancies arising during irradiation of the crystal participate in their creation in the first fast stage. In the long final stage, vacancies are used which appear in the post-radiation period on occurrence of the reaction F₂⁺ F_2^{+} + H → ν_a + fluoride ion at the lattice site, where H is an interstitial fluorine atom. The F₃⁺ F_3^{+} centers are formed both by merging F₂⁺ F_2^{+} and F ₁ centers and as a result of addition of vacancies to F ₂ centers. In this case, vacancies are used that are generated not only during irradiation of the crystal but also in the post-radiation period. The rise in the concentration of F₃⁺ F_3^{+} centers occurs faster than the rise in the concentration of F ₂ centers.