Identical response of insulators to irradiations by swift heavy ions: application to experiments on Gd2Ti2O7

TL;DR

This study demonstrates that insulators like Gd2Ti2O7 respond identically to swift heavy ion irradiation, with track sizes governed mainly by melting temperature, enabling better prediction of irradiation effects across materials.

Contribution

The paper shows that track radii in insulators follow a universal scaling law controlled primarily by melting temperature, without needing individual fitting parameters for different insulators.

Findings

Track radii scale with melting temperature Tm across insulators.

Threshold for track formation varies with ion energy regimes.

Track evolution described by the Analytical Thermal Spike Model without fitting parameters.

Abstract

Track radii Re induced by swift heavy ions are studied. The experimental track data are analyzed in Gd2Ti2O7 pyrochlore in the range Se=6-54 keV/nm (Se - electronic stopping power) including irradiations by low and high velocity ions. The Analytical Thermal Spike Model (ATSM) is applied whose main features are reviewed. The track data of Gd2Ti2O7 exhibit scaling features which mean simple quantitative relationships with track sizes of other insulators controlled only by a single materials parameter (MP), the melting temperature Tm. The Re2-Se track evolution curve is described in the whole range of Se without the application of any individual fitting parameter and MPs apart Tm; the threshold for track formation Set=6.1/14.4 keV/nm for E<2 MeV/nucleon and E>8 MeV/nucleon, respectively. The unique role of Tm is a highly important limitation for the mechanism of track formation. The practical consequences of the results are discussed with respect of the estimation of irradiation parameters