Premium
Defect Structure of Ion‐Irradiated Amorphous SiO 2
Author(s) -
Eyal Y.,
Evron R.,
Cohen Y.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
journal of applied crystallography
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.429
H-Index - 162
ISSN - 1600-5767
DOI - 10.1107/s0021889897001325
Subject(s) - irradiation , amorphous solid , ion , scattering , materials science , radiation damage , ionization , atomic physics , ion beam , vacancy defect , molecular physics , chemistry , crystallography , optics , nuclear physics , physics , organic chemistry
Uniformly enhanced small‐angle X‐ray scattering intensities of amorphous SiO 2 , measured following irradiation with 320 keV H + and He + beams, are shown to be correlated, irrespective of the incident ion, with the O and Si cumulative displacement yields. Damage by both beams originated primarily from nuclear stopping but, under H + ‐ion irradiation, contributions from ionization processes were significant as well. At low beam fluences, the irradiated structure is compatible with the presence of stable radiation‐induced interstitial‐like O and Si atoms and complementary O and Si vacancy‐like sites. There is no evidence for recovery near room temperature of the modified structure to the pre‐irradiated state or for formation of colloidal‐size scattering centers, such as gas bubbles or voids. Thus, ion‐irradiation‐induced changes in physical and chemical properties of silica seem to be due to the effect of the preserved primary atomic displacement damage.