T. Hartmann et al., ION-BEAM RADIATION-DAMAGE EFFECTS IN RUTILE (TIO2), Nuclear instruments & methods in physics research. Section B, Beam interactions with materials and atoms, 141(1-4), 1998, pp. 398-403
Radiation damage accumulation in the rutile phase of titanium dioxide
(TiO2) have been studied by Rutherford Backscattering Spectroscopy in
channeling geometry (RBS/c) and by transmission electron microscopy (T
EM). A large temperature dependence of damage accumulation in rutile w
as observed. Defect accumulation determined in situ by RBS/c occurs fa
r more rapidly in samples irradiated at 160 K compared to 300 K, A rut
ile single crystal irradiated at 160 K was rendered fully amorphous at
a fluence of 4 x 10(18) Xe2+/m(2), compared to a critical amorphizati
on fluence of 8 x 10(19) Xe2+/m(2) for a crystal irradiated at 300 K.
In samples irradiated at 300 K a defect denuded zone at the crystal su
rface was observed to accompany a buried damage layer. In samples irra
diated at 160 K, no defect denuded zone was observed. These observatio
ns indicate that there is a large temperature dependence associated wi
th thermally activated point defect mobility in rutile. Moreover, in i
n situ irradiation experiments using 1.5 MeV Xe+ ions, a critical amor
phization temperature of 200 K was observed. The rutile structure is m
uch more susceptible to radiation damage induced by point defect accum
ulation, compared to dense collision cascades. In the experiments pres
ented here, only the He+ ion irradiation leads to complete amorphizati
on, combined with substantial changes in the micro-hardness and elasti
c (Young's) modulus. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserve
d.