High resolution electron microscopy of ion-irradiated GdBa2Cu3O7

GdBa2Cu3O7 crystals were irradiated at room temperature with 200 keV Ne ions and 300 keV Xe ions. In situ standard TEM and further HREM studies show two types of extended defects: (i) mobile extended defects, which account for the preferential defect pinning to twin boundaries reported earlier. These defects are rapidly recovered and difficult to observe by HREM investigations; (ii) stable amorphous areas which are clearly identified by HREM observations. Their overlapping and aggregation conceivably lead to amorphization of the sample.