EPITAXIAL THIN-FILM RUBY AS AN ION-IRRADIATION DAMAGE SENSOR

The fluorescence from a thin ruby film, formed by epitaxial growth on a sapphire substrate, is shown to be a sensitive monitor of both the i rradiation dose and the strain produced by irradiation of argon ions h aving an end of range exceeding the thickness of the ruby film. Decrea ses in fluorescence intensity are detectable for doses in excess of 10 (12) cm(2), whereas no damage is detectable by Rutherford backscatteri ng spectrometry/channeling until doses almost two orders of magnitude larger. Using the systematic shift in fluorescence frequency observed with irradiation, it is concluded that lattice strain accumulates rapi dly for doses in excess of 10(14) cm(2). (C) 1996 American Institute o f Physics.