Formation of amorphous latent tracks in mica

Abstract

There are controversial experimental data on latent track sizes in mica bombarded by energetic ions in the electronic stopping regime. Recent measurements by wide angle X-ray diffraction [1] and atomic force microscopy (AMF) with lateral scanning [2] provided intermediate values between previous AMF [3] and small angle neutron scattering results [4]. In the present paper the variation of the amorphous track size with the electronic stopping power Se is analyzed based on a thermal spike model. Good agreement is found between the results obtained by wide-angle X-ray diffraction and AMF with lateral scanning and the predictions of the model. The relation predicted between the thermal properties and the radiation sensitivity is also confirmed. A comparison with latent track formation in magnetic insulators is given and very close values of the thermal spike parameters are obtained from the analysis.