Ion-irradiation enhancement of materials degradation in Fe–Cr single crystals detected by magnetic technique

• Published in: Journal of nuclear materials Vol. 442; no. 1-3; pp. S861 - S864
• Main Authors: Kamada, Yasuhiro, Watanabe, Hideo, Mitani, Seiji, Mohapatra, Jitendra Narayana, Kikuchi, Hiroaki, Kobayashi, Satoru, Mizuguchi, Masaki, Takanashi, Koki
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.11.2013
• ISSN: 0022-3115; 1873-4820
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jnucmat.2012.11.042

Single crystalline Fe–20%Cr film was prepared using a molecular beam epitaxy technique, and 2.4MeV Cu2+ ion-irradiation was subsequently carried out at room temperature and at 748K. Magnetic hysteresis measurement and magnetic domain observation showed that room-temperature irradiation did not have a large effect on the magnetic properties of Fe–20%Cr films. However, irradiation at 748K caused a significant magnetic hardening and a drastic change in domain structures. It is assumed that the domain characteristics reflect the formation of chromium-rich precipitates due to the phase separation accelerated by irradiation. This study demonstrates the feasibility of nondestructive magnetic techniques for evaluating the materials degradation of Fe–Cr alloys under the irradiation environment.