INFLUENCE OF UNIAXIAL COMPRESSION AT 80 K ON THE FORMATION OF RADIATION DEFECTS IN KCL, KBR, AND KL CRYSTALS

The influence of uniaxial compression at 80 K on the efficiency of for mation of stable radiation defects in KCl, KBr and KI crystals is inve stigated by absorption spectroscopy. It is found that compression alon g the [100] directions does not alter the efficiency of radiation defe ct formation in KCI and KBr crystals, but in KI the efficiency drops b y more than an order of magnitude. It is concluded from a semiquantita tive analysis that the observed difference is attributable to the impo ssibility of H centers fitting into the compression-reduced interstiti al voids in KI, whereas several multiples of ten-percent compression i s required to produce the analogous effect in KCl and KBr. (C) 1998 Am erican Institute of Physics.