Impedance studies on high energy Li3+ irradiated PZT thin films

The ferroelectric Pb(Zr0.48Ti0.52)O-3 (PZT) thin films prepared by the pulsed laser deposition technique were studied for their response to high energy lithium ion irradiation through impedance spectroscopy. The Debye peaks, observed in the impedance and modulus plots of irradiatedfilms, shifts towards higher frequencies compared to those of unirradiated films. This is equivalent to the trend observed with increase in temperature in the unirradiated films due to the dielectric relaxation. The irradiated films showed a decrease in the grain resistance compared to the unirradiated films. The activation energy of dielectric relaxation increases from 1.25 eV of unirradiated film to 1.62 eV of irradiated film. The observed modifications in the irradiated film were ascribed to the modifications in the grain structure due to the high value of electronic energy loss.

Electron paramagnetic-resonance and electron-nuclear double-resonance observations of domains in the irradiated ferroelectrics KH2AsO4 and KD2AsO4

A direct observation of ferroelectric domains in x-irradiated KH2AsO4 and KD2AsO4 using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), and in the case of KH2AsO4 also using electron-nuclear double-resonance (ENDOR), is reported. The nature of the observed domain splittings and consequently the effects of an externally applied electric field on the EPR and ENDOR spectra are explained. Moreover, the higher resolution possible with the ENDOR technique, has, for the first time, made it possible to use protons as microscopic probes and to identify in general lines from individual domains in all directions.

ESR studies of X-irradiated strontium mixed calcium tartrate crystals

The electron spin resonance spectra of X-ray irradiated single crystals of strontium doped calcium tartrate tetrahydrate (CST) with molecular formula Ca0.88Sr0.12C4H4O6.4H(2)O grown in gels has been investigated. Only one species of free radical but with two magnetically unequivalent sites was observed at room temperature. The free radical was found to be the result of the splitting of a C-II bond adjacent to both the hydroxyl and carboxyl groups. The a factor was found to be slightly anisotropic. Couplings with two H nuclei, believed to be the proton of the OH group attached directly to the unsaturated asymmetric carbon atom and the proton attached directly to the: other asymmetric carbon atom of the molecule were observed. The principal g-values were found to be 2.0030, 2.0017, 2.0027. The principal elements of the nuclear coupling are 7.45, 6.59, 4.28 and 8.56, 7.22, 18.71 G, respectively. The radical was found to be very stable. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Physico-chemical properties of pure and x-ray irradiated single crystals of KAP

Single crystals of potassium hydrogen phthalate (KAP) have been grown by slow evaporation method from aqueous solutions. Thermal analyses indicate that KAP crystals decompose into phthalic anhydride and KOH around 520 K. Electrical properties of single crystals of KAP have been studied along with the effect of X-ray irradiation of the crystals. The electrical transport appears to be associated with tunneling of protons. The irradiated crystal exhibits lower dielectric constant and higher ac conductivity.

Dielectric properties of electron irradiated PbZrO3 thin films

The present paper deals with the study of the effects of electron (8 MeV) irradiation on the dielectric and ferroelectric properties of PbZrO3 thin films grown by sol-gel technique. The films were (0.62 mu m thick) subjected to electron irradiation using Microtron accelerator (delivered dose 80, 100, 120 kGy). The films were well crystallized prior to and after electron irradiation. However, local amorphization was observed after irradiation. There is an appreciable change in the dielectric constant after irradiation with different delivered doses. The dielectric loss showed significant frequency dispersion for both unirradiated and electron irradiated films. T (c) was found to shift towards higher temperature with increasing delivered dose. The effect of radiation induced increase of E >'(T) is related to an internal bias field, which is caused by radiation induced charges trapped at grain boundaries. The double butterfly loop is retained even after electron irradiation to the different delivered doses. The broader hysteresis loop seems to be related to radiation induced charges causing an enhanced space charge polarization. Radiation-induced oxygen vacancies do not change the general shape of the AFE hysteresis loop but they increase P (s) of the hysteresis at the electric field forced AFE to FE phase transition. We attribute the changes in the dielectric properties to the structural defects such as oxygen vacancies and radiation induced charges. The shift in T (C), increase in dielectric constant, broader hysteresis loop, and increase in P (r) can be related to radiation induced charges causing space charge polarization. Double butterfly and hysteresis loops were retained indicative of AFE nature of the films.

Thermal expansion of irradiated nylon-6 from 10 K to 340 K

Thermal expansion of irradiated nylon-6 has been studied in the temperature range 10 to 340 K using a three-terminal capacitance bridge technique. Irradiation is carried out using cobalt-60 gamma-rays up to 500 Mrad dosage. Radiation enhances chain scission over crosslinking. alpha increases from 0 to 250 Mrad between 10 to 340 K and not much variation is observed between 250 to 500 Mrad for samples from 10 to 250 K.

Thermal expansion of irradiated polyvinyl chloride from 10 K to 340 K

The coefficient of thermal expansion is measured for irradiated Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) from 10K to 340K. The samples of PVC are irradiated, up to 500 Mrad in steps of 100 Mrad, in air at room temperature by using Co gamma rays with a dose rate of 0.3 Mrad/h. The PVC is an amorphous sample which is confirmed by X-ray diffraction. The coefficient of thermal expansion is found to decrease with radiation dose from 10K to 110K and it increaseswith radiation dose from 110K to 340K. The results are explained on the basis of radiation induced degradation of the sample.

Structural and transport properties of high energy ion irradiated YBCO

The effects of 100 MeV Oxygen and 200 MeV Silver ions on the structural and transport properties of YBCO thin films are reported. Both normal state and superconducting properties were studied on Laser ablated and high pressure oxygen sputtered films. Precise electrical resistance and critical current measurements near T-c were made and the data obtained were analysed in the light of existing models of para-coherence near T-c and the other aspects of radiation damage arising from microstructural studies such as atomic force microscopy (AFM). There was evidence of sputtering by high energy ions from AFM measurement. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Suppressed rf dissipation in 107Ag17+ ion irradiated Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8 single crystals by enhanced flux line tilt modulus

We have studied the isothermal, magnetic field (H‖c) dependent rf power P(H) dissipation (Hrf‖a) in the superconducting state of Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8 single crystals prior to and after irradiation with 250 MeV 107Ag17+ ions. In the pristine state, P(H) shows an initial decrease with increase in field, reaches a minimum at HM(T) and increases monotonically for H>HM(T). This behavior arises when the electromagnetic coupling between the pancake vortices in adjacent CuO layers becomes dominant on increasing the field and minimizes the distortions of the flux lines by confining the 2D vortices. In the post irradiated state, such an initial decrease and the minimum in P(H) is not observed but only a much reduced rf dissipation that monotonically increases with field from H = 0 onwards is seen. We attribute this difference to the strong enhancement of the tilt modulus C44 of the flux lines on irradiation when the pancake vortices in adjacent CuO bilayers are pinned along the track forming a well-stacked flux line in the field direction (‖c). We have also observed that the rf dissipation disappears at a certain temperature Tsf, at which the normal core of the flux line becomes commensurate with the columnar track diameter.

Oxygen displacement in a 107Ag17+ ion irradiated Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8 single crystal

We have studied the magnetic field (H∥c) dependent rf dissipation (Hrf∥a) in an as-grown Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8 single crystal prior to and after irradiation with 250 MeV 107Ag17+ ions. In a comparison of the responses from the as-grown crystal with an air-annealed crystal, features due to oxygen deficient regions acting as weak links in the former are identified. These features disappear immediately after irradiation of the as-grown crystal. We attribute such behavior to the displacement of oxygen from columnar tracks to deficient regions thus eliminating the weak links. Losses from the same irradiated as-grown crystal stored at 300 K for 60 days show that the features similar but not identical to those observed in the pristine state have reappeared implying that the displaced oxygen is in a metastable configuration in the deficient regions and hence is mobile due to thermal effects even at 300 K.

Nanoindentation response of an ion irradiated Zr-based bulk metallic glass

Nanoindentation experiments were conducted on a Ni+ ion-irradiated Zr-based bulk metallic glass (BMG). The irradiation was carried out using 2.5, 5, 10 and 15 MeV ions and a flux of similar to 10(16) ions/cm(2). Post mortem imaging of the indents reveals a transition in the deformation mechanism of the irradiated regions from heterogeneous shear banding to homogeneous flow. Additionally, the load-displacement curves exhibit a transition from serrated to continuous flow with increasing severity of irradiation damage. The stress-strain response obtained from micro-pillar compression experiments complements the indentation response exhibiting a decrease in the flow stress and an `apparent' strain hardening at the lowest irradiation damage investigated, which is not observed in the as-cast alloy. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Thermoluminescence response in gamma and UV irradiated Dy2O3 nanophosphor

Low temperature solution combustion method was employed to synthesize Dy2O3 nanophosphors using two different fuels (sugar and oxalyl dihydrazine (ODH)). Powder X-ray diffraction confirm pure cubic phase and the estimated particle size from Scherrer's method in sugar and ODH fuel was found to be 26 and 78 nm, respectively, and are in close agreement with those obtained using TEM and W-H plot analysis. SEM micrographs reveal porous, irregular shaped particles with large agglomeration in both the fuels. An optical band gap of 5.24 eV and 5.46 eV was observed for Dy2O3 for sugar and ODH fuels, respectively. The blueshift observed in sugar fuel is attributed to the particles size effect. Thermoluminescence (TL) response of cubic Dy2O3 nanophosphors prepared by both fuels was examined using gamma and UV radiations. The thermoluminescence of sugar used samples shows a single glow peak at 377 degrees C for 1-4 kGy gamma irradiations. When dose is increased to 5 kGy, two more shouldered peaks were observed at 245 and 310 degrees C. However, in TL of ODH used samples, a single glow peak at 376 degrees C was observed. It is observed that TL intensity is found to be more in sugar used samples. In UV irradiated samples a single glow peak at 365 degrees C was recorded in both the fuels with a little variation in TL intensity. The trapping parameters were estimated by different methods and the results are discussed. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.