Latent track formation in germanium irradiated with 20, 30 and 40 MeV fullerenes in the electronic regime

Conventional transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and high resolution ele ctron microscopy (HREM) have been performed on irradiated germanium with a few tens of MeV C-60 incident clusters (fullerenes), Normal and inclined in cidences of the beam have been investigated. As observed in the case of sil icon, microscopy observations after irradiation with 20, 30 and 40 MeV beam s show clearly the presence of cylindrical amorphous latent tracks of 6, 10 .6 and 12.5 nm in diameter, respectively. Other microstructural considerati ons are reported. The difference in diameter has been interpreted in terms of high electronic energy deposited by the three different energetic fuller ene beams. Furthermore, during HREM observation, a recrystallisation proces s of the amorphous region of the tracks has been observed and analysed. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V, All rights reserved.