Abstract
Single crystals of LiF exposed to swift heavy ions respond by the creation of color centers and defect aggregates. We present a comprehensive study by means of optical absorption spectroscopy using various MeV-GeV ions from 4He to 238U and a broad range of fluences. In the single-track regime, the defect characteristics such as the F-center concentration as a function of fluence and energy loss are analyzed. At large fluences, track overlapping occurs and the damage process is dominated by the formation of complex Fn centers and defect aggregates. The evolution of F-center and defect clusters is discussed in terms of aggregation as well as recombination of electron and hole centers. Limited efficiency for defect creation with heavy ions is mainly ascribed to annihilation processes of electron and hole centers.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 184104 |
| Pages (from-to) | 1-8 |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| Journal | Physical Review B - Condensed Matter and Materials Physics |
| Volume | 70 |
| Issue number | 18 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Nov 2004 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:The irradiations with ions by H. Baumann (University of Frankfurt) are gratefully acknowledged. We also thank Ch. Lushchik and A. Lushchik (University of Tartu), E. Kotomin (MPI, Stuttgart and Latvian University, Riga), and M. Lang (GSI) for fruitful discussions. Access to irradiation experiments for M.T. was supported by the European Commission under the grant EC-HPRI-CT-1999-00001.
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
- Condensed Matter Physics