Creation of radiation defects in MgO crystals irradiated with swift heavy ions

Abstract

The processes of the creation of anion Frenkel defects have been investigated in MgO crystals irradiated by fast
132Xe ions with an energy of 0.23 GeV at room temperature. The spectra of optical absorption measured at room temperature in the region of 1.5–6.5 eV using a dual-beam spectrophotometer JASCO V-660 contain several bands ascribed to F and F + centers (two/one electron trapped by an oxygen vacancy), the simplest aggregate F 2 centers, as well as the band at 2.16 eV. The iron-related bands (up to 3 ppm of Fe) are peaked at 4.26 and 5.74 eV. The absorption spectra of an MgO crystal irradiated with X-rays were also investigated. The cathodoluminescence (CL) spectra, measured at 10-keV electron excitation at 5 K, contain emissions of F + and F centers peaked at 3.15 and 2.4 eV, respectively.