Charge trapping and defect segregation in quartz

Irradiation induced charging of wide band gap materials may significantly i nfluence the development of radiation damage and associated defect migratio n. Charge trapped at irradiation induced and/or pre-existing defects induce s a localized electric field within the irradiated volume of specimen. The powerful combination of cathodoluminescence microanalysis and electric forc e microscopy allows direct monitoring of the development of the irradiation induced charge distribution and its effect on the microscopic spatial segr egation of defects. These techniques have been used to demonstrate the impo rtant influence of the induced local field on the microscopic defect struct ure of quartz. (C) 1999 American Institute of Physics. [S0021-8979(99)03413 -1].