scholarly journals Stability of Uranium Silicides During High Energy Ion Irradiation

1991 ◽  
Vol 235 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. C. Birtcher ◽  
L. M. Wang
Keyword(s):  
Ion Irradiation ◽  
Ion Beam ◽  
Amorphous State ◽  
Temperature Limit ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Grain Structure ◽  
Twin Structure ◽  
Fine Grain ◽  
Transmission Electron

ABSTRACTChanges induced by 1.5 MeV Kr ion irradiation of both U3Si and U3Si2 have been followed by in situ transmission electron microcopy. When irradiated at sufficiently low temperatures, both alloys transform from the crystalline to the amorphous state. When irradiated at temperatures above the temperature limit for ion-beam amorphization, both compounds disorder, with the Martensite twin structure in U3Si disappearing from view in TEM. Prolonged irradiation of the disordered crystalline phases results in nucleation of small crystallites within the initially large crystal grains. The new crystallites increase in number during continued irradiation until a fine grain structure is formed. Electron diffraction yields a powder-like diffraction pattern that indicates a random alignment of the small crystallites. During a second irradiation at lower temperatures, the small crystallizes retard amorphization. After 2 dpa at high temperatures, the amorphization dose is increased by over twenty times compared to that of initially unirradiated material.

Electron and ion irradiation-induced dissolution of mechanical twins in the intermetalic U3Si: An in situ HVEM study

1989 ◽  
Vol 47 ◽  
pp. 652-653
Author(s):  
Charles W. Allen ◽  
Robert C. Birtcher
Keyword(s):  
Elevated Temperatures ◽  
Ion Irradiation ◽  
Ion Beam ◽  
National Laboratory ◽  
Argonne National Laboratory ◽  
Heavy Ion ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Mechanical Twinning ◽  
In Situ Experiments

The uranium silicides, including U3Si, are under study as candidate low enrichment nuclear fuels. Ion beam simulations of the in-reactor behavior of such materials are performed because a similar damage structure can be produced in hours by energetic heavy ions which requires years in actual reactor tests. This contribution treats one aspect of the microstructural behavior of U3Si under high energy electron irradiation and low dose energetic heavy ion irradiation and is based on in situ experiments, performed at the HVEM-Tandem User Facility at Argonne National Laboratory. This Facility interfaces a 2 MV Tandem ion accelerator and a 0.6 MV ion implanter to a 1.2 MeV AEI high voltage electron microscope, which allows a wide variety of in situ ion beam experiments to be performed with simultaneous irradiation and electron microscopy or diffraction.At elevated temperatures, U3Si exhibits the ordered AuCu3 structure. On cooling below 1058 K, the intermetallic transforms, evidently martensitically, to a body-centered tetragonal structure (alternatively, the structure may be described as face-centered tetragonal, which would be fcc except for a 1 pet tetragonal distortion). Mechanical twinning accompanies the transformation; however, diferences between electron diffraction patterns from twinned and non-twinned martensite plates could not be distinguished.

Orientational and Microstructural Evolution During Epitaxial Growth of Cu on Si(001) by Sputter Deposition

1992 ◽  
Vol 280 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. Hashim ◽  
B. Park ◽  
H. A. Atwater
Keyword(s):  
Epitaxial Growth ◽  
Ion Beam ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Sputter Deposition ◽  
X Ray Diffraction ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Plan View ◽  
Transmission Electron

ABSTRACTEpitaxial Cu thin films have been grown on H-terminated Si(OOl) substrates at room temperature by D.C. ion-beam sputter deposition in ultrahigh vacuum. The development of orientation and microstructure during epitaxial growth from the initial stages of Cu growth up to Cu thicknesses of few hundred nm has been investigated. Analysis by in-situ reflection high energy electron diffraction, thin film x-ray diffraction, and plan-view and cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy indicates that the films are well textured with Cu(001)∥ Si(001) and Cu[100]∥ Si[110]. Interestingly, it is found that a distribution of orientations occurs at the early stages of Cu epitaxy on Si(001) surface, and that a (001) texture emerges gradually with increasing Cu thickness. The effect of silicide formation and deposition conditions on the crystalline quality of Cu epitaxy is also discussed.

Radiation-induced disordering and amorphization—An in situ HVEM study of uranium silicide with comparison to natural processes in zirconolite

1990 ◽  
Vol 48 (4) ◽  
pp. 534-535
Author(s):  
R. C. Birtcher ◽  
L. M. Wang ◽  
C. W. Allen ◽  
R. C. Ewing
Keyword(s):  
Electron Irradiation ◽  
Ion Irradiation ◽  
Ion Beam ◽  
National Laboratory ◽  
Argonne National Laboratory ◽  
Heavy Ion ◽  
High Energy ◽  
In Situ Tem ◽  
In Situ Experiments

We present here results of in situ TEM diffraction observations of the response of U3Si and U3Si2 when subjected to 1 MeV electron irradiation or to 1.5 MeV Kr ion irradiation, and observations of damage occuring in natural zirconolite. High energy electron irradiation or energetic heavy ion irradiation were performed in situ at the HVEM-Tandem User Facility at Argonne National Laboratory. In this Facility, a 2 MV Tandem ion accelerator and a 0.6 MV ion implanter have been interfaced to a 1.2 MeV AEI high voltage electron microscope. This allows a wide variety of in situ experiments to be performed with simultaneous ion irradiation and conventional transmission electron microscopy. During the electron irradiation, the electron beam was focused to a diameter of about 2 μ.m at the specimen thin area. The ion beam was approximately 2 mm in diameter and was uniform over the entire specimen. With the specimen mounted in a heating holder, the temperature increase indicated by the furnace thermocouple during the ion irradiation was typically 8 °K.

Ion Beam Induced Structural and Electrical Modifications in Crystalline and Amorphous Silicon

1993 ◽  
Vol 316 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Coffa ◽  
A. Battaglia ◽  
F. Priolo
Keyword(s):  
Deep Level Transient Spectroscopy ◽  
Ion Irradiation ◽  
Deep Level ◽  
Ion Beam ◽  
Defect Structures ◽  
Transmission Electron ◽  
Defect Accumulation ◽  
Amorphous Si ◽  
Transient Spectroscopy

ABSTRACTThe mechanisms of defect accumulation and dynamic annealing in ion-implanted crystalline and amorphous Si are elucidated by performing conductivity and Raman spec-trascopy measurements in-situ during ion irradiation. In amorphous Si the entire gamut of defect structures has been characterized by analyzing the annealing kinetics from 77 K to ~ 800 K both during and after irradiation. Moreover the modifications in the electronic properties of crystalline Si produced by ion-irradiation have been investigated. The use of in-situ techniques in combination with transmission electron microscopy and deep-level transient spectroscopy allowed us to demonstrate the correlation between structural and electrical defects produced by ion-irradiation in Si.

Study of Swift Heavy Ion Irradiation Induced Nanophases of TiO2

2013 ◽  
Vol 24 ◽  
pp. 133-139 ◽  
Author(s):  
Madhavi Thakurdesai ◽  
A. Mahadkar ◽  
Varsha Bhattacharyya
Keyword(s):  
Thin Films ◽  
Ion Irradiation ◽  
Ion Beam ◽  
Heavy Ion ◽  
High Energy ◽  
X Ray Diffraction ◽  
Force Microscopy ◽  
Atomic Force ◽  
Transmission Electron ◽  
Non Equilibrium

Ion beam irradiation is a unique non-equilibrium technique for phase formation and material modification. Localized rise in temperature and ultra fast (~1012 s) dissipations of impinging energy make it an attractive tool for nanostructure synthesize. Dense electronic excitation induced spatial and temporal confinement of high energy in a narrow dimension leads the system to a highly non-equilibrium state and the system then relaxes dynamically inducing nucleation of nanocrystals along the latent track. In the present investigation, amorphous thin films of TiO2 are irradiated by 100 MeV Ag ion beam. These irradiated thin films are characterized by Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), Glancing Angle X-ray Diffraction (GAXRD), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and UV-VIS absorption spectroscopy. AFM and TEM studies indicate formation of circular nanoparticles of size 10±2 nm in a film irradiated at a fluence of 1×1012 ions.cm-2. Nanophase formation is also inferred from the blueshift observed in UV-VIS absorption band edge.

Ion-beam induced disordering and onset of amorphization in spinel by defect accumulation

1995 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 981-985 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Bordes ◽  
L.M. Wang ◽  
R.C. Ewing ◽  
K.E. Sickafus
Keyword(s):  
Ion Irradiation ◽  
Ion Beam ◽  
Crystalline Material ◽  
High Dose ◽  
Transmission Electron ◽  
Defect Accumulation ◽  
Radiation Resistant ◽  
Crystalline Domains ◽  
Resistant Ceramic

Ion-irradiation induces amorphization in many intermetallics and ceramics, but spinel (MgAl2O4) is considered a “radiation resistant” ceramic. Spinel was irradiated with 1.5 MeV Kr+ at 20 K and observed in situ by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The spinel remained crystalline to a high dose of 1 × 1016 ions/cm2, without any evidence of amorphization. Another spinel was preimplanted with Ne (400 keV and 50 keV). The microstructure revealed a still crystalline material with 8 nm interstitial loops. After irradiation with 1.5 MeV Kr+ (20 K), amorphization, a result of cation disordering, initiated at a dose of 1.7 × 1015 ions/cm2. At a dose of 1 × 1016 ions/cm2, the spinel was partially amorphous and the remaining crystalline domains disordered. These results show that spinel can be disordered and that amorphization can be triggered by the introduction of stable defects, followed by ion irradiation at low temperature.

Ion Irradiation-Induced Amorphization in the MgO-Al2O3-SiO2 System: A Cascade Quenching Model

1996 ◽  
Vol 439 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. X. Wang ◽  
L. M. Wang ◽  
R. C. Ewing
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Phase Transition ◽  
Glass Formation ◽  
Ion Irradiation ◽  
Ion Beam ◽  
Simple Relation ◽  
Quantitative Parameter ◽  
System A ◽  
Transmission Electron

AbstractThe ion beam-induced crystalline-to-amorphous transition was studied for crystalline phases in the MgO-A12O3-SiO 2 system. Samples were irradiated with 1.5 MeV Xe+ at temperatures from 15 to 1023 K, and the dose required for amorphization was determined by in situ transmission electron microscopy. Based on a cascade quenching model, we propose that irradiation-induced amorphization is closely related to glass formation. The rate of crystallization from a melt is the controlling factor in determining the susceptibility to amorphization and glass formation. From the analysis of cascade quenching evolution, we have derived a simple relation between amorphization dose and temperature. A quantitative parameter, S0, that describes the susceptibility to amorphization is derived that considers the crystalline structure, field strength, and phase transition temperature.

Crystal Nucleation in Amorphous Si Thin Films During Ion Irradiation

1990 ◽  
Vol 187 ◽  
Author(s):  
James S. Im ◽  
Harry A. Atwater
Keyword(s):  
Nucleation Rate ◽  
Ion Irradiation ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Crystal Nucleation ◽  
Transmission Electron ◽  
Crystal Transition ◽  
Amorphous Si ◽  
Si Films ◽  
Kinetics Of

AbstractThe nucleation and transformation kinetics of the amorphous-to-crystal transition in Si films under 1.5 MeV Xe+ irradiation have been investigated by means of in situ transmission electron microscopy in the temperature range T = 480–580°C. After an incubation period during which negligible nucleation occurs, a constant nucleation rate was observed in steady state, suggesting homogeneous nucleation. A significant enhancement in nucleation rate during high energy ion irradiation (6 orders of magnitude) was observed as compared with thermal crystallization, with an apparent activation energy of Qn = 3.9 ± 0.75 eV. Independent analyses of the temperature dependence of the incubation time, the crystal growth rate, and nucleation rate suggest that interface rearrangement kinetics and not the thermodynamic barrier to crystallization, are affected by ion irradiation.

The Growth and Characterisation of Ir Silicide Films on (111)Si

1990 ◽  
Vol 202 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.A. Lawn ◽  
R.G. Elliman ◽  
M.C. Ridgway ◽  
R. Leckey ◽  
J.D. Riley
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscope ◽  
Epitaxial Growth ◽  
Transmission Electron Microscope ◽  
High Vacuum ◽  
Ultra High Vacuum ◽  
Grain Structure ◽  
Si Substrates ◽  
Fine Grain ◽  
Transmission Electron

ABSTRACTA study of the growth of thin Ir silicide films on (111)Si substrates has been undertaken. Thin (2.0nm) ir films deposited onto Si substrates under ultra-high vacuum conditions have been observed to display remarkable film continuity and fine grain structure (lnm). In situ annealing at 1000°C resulted in the formation of large regions (>10µm) of epitaxial IrSi3 islands (∼1µm) with identical epitaxial orientations. By means of annealing an as-deposited (2.0nm) Ir film stepwise to 1000°C within a transmission electron microscope the evolution of Ir silicide phases and morphologies were observed. The epitaxial growth of the semiconducting IrSi1.75 phase is reported along with the formation of Ir silicide islands at temperatures between 700°C and 800°C.

Ion Beam-Induced Amorphization of (Mg, Fe)2SiO4 Olivine Series: An In Situ Transmission Electron Microscopy Study

1991 ◽  
Vol 235 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. M. Wang ◽  
R. C. Ewing
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Transmission Electron Microscopy ◽  
Energy Loss ◽  
Computer Modelling ◽  
Ion Irradiation ◽  
Ion Beam ◽  
High Resolution Electron Microscopy ◽  
Bond Ionicity ◽  
Transmission Electron

ABSTRACTEffects of ion beam irradiation of five members of the (Mg, Fe)2SiO4 olivine series, from synthetic pure fayalite (Fe2SiO4) to naturally occurring (Mg0.88Fe0.12)2SiO4, have been studied by in situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Under 1.5 MeV Kr+ ion room temperature irradiations, all of the samples have been amorphized. The critical amorphization dose or the total collision energy loss required for amorphization increased rapidly with the increasing Mg:Fe ratio which coincides with an increasing melting temperature (bond strength) and an increasing average bond ionicity. A 400 keV He+ ion irradiation of (Mg0.88Fe0.12)2-SiO4, which mainly results in ionization energy loss in the sample, did not cause amorphization even at a much higher dose rate and a much higher final dose. This indicates nuclear interactions (collisions) are primarily responsible for ion beam induced amorphization. Also, high resolution electron microscopy (HREM) images of the defect structure at a low ion dose have been obtained and compared with the displacement cascade structure generated by computer modelling.

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