TRACKS IN YIG INDUCED BY MEV C-60 IONS

Samples of yttrium iron garnet (Y3Fe5O12 or YIG) were irradiated at 30 0 K with MeV C-60-ions at normal and tilted incidence. As observed by transmission electron microscopy, the cluster ions create amorphous an d continuous tracks. Craters generated both at the entrance and exit s urfaces of the samples are clearly visible at tilted incidence. Moreov er, hillocks are seen at the entrance and exit of the tracks. On the s ample surface matter ejected from the tracks has been deposited. Some of the tracks induced by high energy C-60-ions contain a ''bubble-like structure'' inside the amorphous part of the tracks, which appears on ly in very thin zones of the samples and when the projectiles exit fro m the sample. This is in contrast to the tracks created by smaller clu ster ions and by GeV heavy ions for which no structure was seen. (C) 1 998 Elsevier Science B.V.