Phase transformations induced by high electronic excitation in ion-irradiated Gd{sub 2}(Zr{sub x}Ti{sub 1-x}){sub 2}O{sub 7} pyrochlores

Journal Article · Mon Nov 15 00:00:00 EST 2010 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3503452· OSTI ID:21537931

Sattonnay, G; Legros, C ^[1]; Moll, S; Thome, L ^[2]; Decorse, C ^[3]; Simon, P ^[4]; Jagielski, J ^[5]; Jozwik, I ^[5]; Monnet, I ^[6]

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1. LEMHE/ICMMO, UMR 8182, Universite Paris Sud, Bat. 410, F-91405 Orsay (France)
2. Centre de Spectrometrie Nucleaire et de Spectrometrie de Masse, UMR 8609, CNRS-IN2P3, Universite Paris Sud, Bat. 108, F-91405 Orsay (France)
3. LPCES/ICMMO, UMR 8182, Universite Paris Sud, Bat. 410, F-91405 Orsay (France)
4. UPR 3079 CEMHTI, CNRS, 1D Avenue de la Recherche Scientifique, F-45071 Orleans Cedex 2 (France)
5. Institute for Electronic Materials Technology, Wolczynska 133, 01-919 Warsaw (Poland)
6. CIMAP-GANIL, CEA-CNRS-ENSICAEN, BP 5133, F-14070 Caen Cedex 5 (France)

The pyrochlore oxides (A{sub 2}B{sub 2}O{sub 7}) exhibit a remarkable range of structural, physical, and magnetic properties related to their various chemical compositions. This article reports the phase transformations induced by high electronic excitation in pyrochlores of the Gd{sub 2}(Zr{sub x}Ti{sub 1-x}){sub 2}O{sub 7} family irradiated with swift ions. The structural changes, investigated by using several analytical techniques (x-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy), strongly depend on the chemical composition. The high electronic excitation along the ion trajectory results in the amorphization of ion tracks for Gd{sub 2}Ti{sub 2}O{sub 7} and Gd{sub 2}TiZrO{sub 7}, whereas a defective fluorite structure is formed in Gd{sub 2}Zr{sub 2}O{sub 7}. Moreover, the results underline the existence of an electronic stopping power threshold of 6 keV/nm for amorphizable compounds and 10 keV/nm for Gd{sub 2}Zr{sub 2}O{sub 7}, below which phase transformations do not occur. Finally, the study of the thermal recovery of irradiated pyrochlores provides the recrystallization temperature for amorphized samples and reveals differences in the recovery process which are related to the chemical composition.

• OSTI ID: 21537931
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 108, Issue 10; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.3503452; (c) 2010 American Institute of Physics; ISSN 0021-8979
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
AMORPHOUS STATE
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
ELECTRON BEAMS
GADOLINIUM COMPOUNDS
KEV RANGE 01-10
MAGNETIC PROPERTIES
OXIDES
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
PHYSICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
PYROCHLORE
RAMAN SPECTRA
RAMAN SPECTROSCOPY
RECRYSTALLIZATION
STOPPING POWER
THERMAL RECOVERY
TITANATES
TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
X-RAY DIFFRACTION
ZIRCONATES
BEAMS
CHALCOGENIDES
COHERENT SCATTERING
DIFFRACTION
ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
ENERGY RANGE
ENHANCED RECOVERY
KEV RANGE
LASER SPECTROSCOPY
LEPTON BEAMS
MICROSCOPY
MINERALS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PARTICLE BEAMS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
RADIATION EFFECTS
RARE EARTH COMPOUNDS
SCATTERING
SPECTRA
SPECTROSCOPY
TITANIUM COMPOUNDS
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
ZIRCONIUM COMPOUNDS