Defect recovery and radiation annealing in FCC metals irradiated with high energy ions

Abstract

Abstract FCC metals are irradiated with low-energy (∼ I MeV) and high-energy (∼ 100 MeV) ions at ≲ 10 K. After irradiation, thermal annealing experiments are performed up to 300 K. Anomalous reduction of stage-I recovery is observed in Ni and Pt irradiated with high-energy heavy ions. Radiation annealing by irradiation of 100 MeV iodine ions is studied in pre-doped Ni and Cu. Experimental results are analyzed by using a model which describes the production and selective radiation annealing of defects. Extraordinarily large cross sections for radiation annealing of stage-I defects are obtained in Ni. These results show that in Ni and Pt the energy transferred from excited electrons to lattice atoms through the electron-phonon interaction contributes to the annihilation of defects during high-energy heavy ion irradiation.