Generation of colour centres in yttria-stabilized zirconia by heavy ion irradiations in the GeV range

• Published in: Journal of physics. Condensed matter Vol. 22; no. 31; p. 315402
• Main Authors: Costantini, Jean-Marc, Beuneu, François, Schwartz, Kurt, Trautmann, Christina
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bristol IOP Publishing 11.08.2010; Institute of Physics; IOP Publishing [1989-....]
• Subjects: Absorption spectra; Bands; Color centers; Condensed Matter; Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Electron paramagnetic resonance and relaxation; Exact sciences and technology; Ion irradiation; Ion radiation effects; Irradiation; Magnetic resonances and relaxations in condensed matter, mössbauer effect; Materials Science; Optical constants: refractive index, complex dielectric constant, absorption, reflection and transmission coefficients, emissivity; Optical properties and condensed-matter spectroscopy and other interactions of matter with particles and radiation; Optical properties of bulk materials and thin films; Physical radiation effects, radiation damage; Physics; Structure of solids and liquids; crystallography; Yttria stabilized zirconia; Zirconium dioxide; Radiation effects; Heavy ions; Vacancies; Fluence; Stabilized zirconia; Color centers; Thermostimulated emission; Charge compensation; Ion irradiation; Divacancy; Electron paramagnetic resonance; Absorption spectra; Defect formation
• ISSN: 0953-8984; 1361-648X
• DOI: 10.1088/0953-8984/22/31/315402

We have studied the colour centre production in yttria-stabilized zirconia (ZrO(2):Y(3 +)) by heavy ion irradiation in the GeV range using on-line UV-visible optical absorption spectroscopy. Experiments were performed with 11.4 MeV amu(-1) (127)Xe, (197)Au, (208)Pb and (238)U ion irradiations at 8 K or room temperature (RT). A broad and asymmetrical absorption band peaked at a wavelength about 500 nm is recorded regardless of the irradiation parameters, in agreement with previous RT irradiations with heavy ions in the 100 MeV range. This band is de-convoluted into two broad Gaussian-shaped bands centred at photon energies about 2.4 and 3.1 eV that are respectively associated with the F(+)-type centres (involving a singly ionized oxygen vacancy, VO· and T centres (i.e. Zr(3+) in a trigonal symmetry) observed by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. In the case of 8 K Au ion irradiation at low fluences, six bands are used at about 1.9, 2.3, 2.7, 3.1 and 4.0 eV. The three bands near 2.0-2.5 eV can be assigned to oxygen divacancies (i.e. F(2)(+) centres). No significant effect of the irradiation temperature is found on the widths of all absorption bands for the same ion and fluence. This is attributed to the inhomogeneous broadening arising from the static disorder due to the native charge-compensating oxygen vacancies. However, the colour centre production yield is strongly enhanced at 8 K with respect to RT. When heating irradiated samples from 8 K to RT, the extra colour centres produced at low temperature do not recover completely to the level of RT irradiation. The latter results are accounted for by an electronically driven defect recovery process.