Online in situ x-ray diffraction setup for structural modification studies during swift heavy ion irradiation

Journal Article · Sun Jan 15 00:00:00 EST 2012 · Review of Scientific Instruments

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3680106· OSTI ID:22063778

Grygiel, C; Lebius, H; Bouffard, S; Quentin, A; Ramillon, J M; Madi, T; Guillous, S; Been, T; Guinement, P; Lelievre, D; Monnet, I ^[1]

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1. CIMAP, CEA-CNRS-ENSICAEN-UCBN, BP 5133, 14070 Caen Cedex 5 (France)

The high energy density of electronic excitations due to the impact of swift heavy ions can induce structural modifications in materials. We present an x-ray diffractometer called ALIX (''Analyse en Ligne sur IRRSUD par diffraction de rayons X''), which has been set up at the low-energy beamline (IRRadiation SUD - IRRSUD) of the Grand Accelerateur National d'Ions Lourds facility, to allow the study of structural modification kinetics as a function of the ion fluence. The x-ray setup has been modified and optimized to enable irradiation by swift heavy ions simultaneously to x-ray pattern recording. We present the capability of ALIX to perform simultaneous irradiation-diffraction by using energy discrimination between x-rays from diffraction and from ion-target interaction. To illustrate its potential, results of sequential or simultaneous irradiation-diffraction are presented in this article to show radiation effects on the structural properties of ceramics. Phase transition kinetics have been studied during xenon ion irradiation of polycrystalline MgO and SrTiO{sub 3}. We have observed that MgO oxide is radiation-resistant to high electronic excitations, contrary to the high sensitivity of SrTiO{sub 3}, which exhibits transition from the crystalline to the amorphous state during irradiation. By interpreting the amorphization kinetics of SrTiO{sub 3}, defect overlapping models are discussed as well as latent track characteristics. Together with a transmission electron microscopy study, we conclude that a single impact model describes the phase transition mechanism.

• OSTI ID: 22063778
• Journal Information: Review of Scientific Instruments, Vol. 83, Issue 1; Other Information: (c) 2012 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0034-6748
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
AMORPHOUS STATE
CERAMICS
DEFECTS
ENERGY DENSITY
EXCITATION
GANIL CYCLOTRON
HEAVY IONS
INTERACTIONS
IRRADIATION
MAGNESIUM OXIDES
PARTICLE TRACKS
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
POLYCRYSTALS
RADIATION EFFECTS
STRONTIUM TITANATES
TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
X RADIATION
XENON IONS
X-RAY DIFFRACTION
X-RAY DIFFRACTOMETERS