RADIATION-DAMAGE IN SPINEL SINGLE-CRYSTALS

Basic work on radiation damage behaviour in compound materials require s separate analysis of lattice defects in each sublattice. MgAl2O4 spi nel single crystals of [110] and [100] orientation were analysed by me ans of the RBS/channeling technique using 2.0-2.9 MeV He-4 beams, prio r to and after implantation with Kr and Xe ions to fluences ranging fr om 10(14) to 10(17) at/cm(2). The results of our study indicate that o nly the Al- and O-sublattices can be heavily disordered. Damage peaks for these two sublattices grow continuously with increasing the implan tation fluence and eventually reach the random level for approximately 2 X 10(16) Kr(Xe)/cm(2). The magnesium sublattice is much more stable : the height of the Mg damage peak saturates at ca. 20% of the random yield. A defect recovery stage at the temperature close to 500 degrees C was observed.