Electron microscopy studies of void swelling and annealing of voids in aluminium irradiated with aluminium ions

Abstract

MgO single crystals implanted with Au⁺ ions (180 keV, 6 10¹⁶-10¹⁷ ions cm^?2) and annealed at temperatures between 25°C and 1100°C, have been analysed—by optical spectrophotometry—by Rutherford back-scattering (to confirm the effective presence and to study the distribution profile of Au atoms), and by TEM and X-ray diffraction (to identify the phases precipitated by thermal treatment).

Thermal annealing between 550°C and 1100°C produced an optical absorption band located between 565 nm and 600 nm. This band can be attributed to a fee Au precipitate with diameter varying from 50 to 200 Å. Larger metallic colloids 1000 Å are in simple orientation with the matrix.

Annealing at temperatures higher than 500°C produces a supplementary optical absorption located at 425 nm. This band can be attributed to Au plasma resonance.

After annealing for 15 min at 1100°C, a new phase is detected by X-ray diffraction and TEM and identified as Au₃Mg alloy with hexagonal structure.