Origin of radiation tolerance in 3C-SiC with nanolayered planar defects

Journal Article · Mon Jul 15 00:00:00 EDT 2013 · Applied Physics Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4813593· OSTI ID:22122819

Ishimaru, Manabu ^[1]; Yanwen, Zhang; Weber, William J. ^[2]; Shannon, Steven ^[3]

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1. Institute of Scientific and Industrial Research, Osaka University, Osaka 567-0047 (Japan)
2. Materials Science and Technology Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Tennessee 37831-6138 (United States)
3. Department of Nuclear Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695 (United States)

We have recently found that the radiation tolerance of SiC is highly enhanced by introducing nanolayers of stacking faults and twins [Y. Zhang et al., Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 14, 13429 (2012)]. To reveal the origin of this radiation resistance, we used in situ transmission electron microscopy to examine structural changes induced by electron beam irradiation in 3C-SiC containing nanolayers of (111) planar defects. We found that preferential amorphization, when it does occur, takes place at grain boundaries and at (111) and (111) planar defects. Radiation-induced point defects, such as interstitials and vacancies, migrate two-dimensionally between the (111) planar defects, which probably enhances the damage recovery.

• OSTI ID: 22122819
• Journal Information: Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 103, Issue 3; Other Information: (c) 2013 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0003-6951
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
AMORPHOUS STATE
CRYSTALS
DAMAGE
ELECTRON BEAMS
ENERGY RECOVERY
GRAIN BOUNDARIES
INTERSTITIALS
IRRADIATION
MATERIALS RECOVERY
NANOSTRUCTURES
PHYSICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
POINT DEFECTS
SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS
SILICON CARBIDES
STACKING FAULTS
TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
TWO-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS
VACANCIES