Effects Of Ionizing Radiation Research Articles

HARDENING BEHAVIOR OF ADVANCED STRUCTURAL ALLOYS UNDER ION IRRADIATION

In this study, a series of recently developed alloys, including multi-principal element alloys with FCC and BCC phase structure, ODS-modified austenitic steel, and T91 ferritic-martensitic steel modified with severe plastic deformation have been investigated with respect to the hardening/embrittlement phenomenon under irradiation. Samples of all materials were irradiated under identical conditions with 1.4 MeV Ar ions at room temperature. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was used to characterize the radiation defects and microstructural changes. Nanoindentation was employed to measure the effect of ion irradiation on hardening. The dependence of the hardening parameters on the irradiation dose, their relationship with the evolution of the microstructure was studied. It was found, that the developed alloys exhibited a reduced susceptibility to irradiation induced hardening compared to that of conventional SS316 and 18Cr10NiTi stainless steels. The study discusses the mechanisms that can affect the radiation hardening behavior in examined materials.

Mechanical and helium swelling responses of K-RAFM steels to Fe ion irradiation and helium implantation

This study explores the effects of Fe ion irradiation and helium implantation on the mechanical and microstructural behaviors of K-RAFM steels. Through micropillar compression tests, we observed irradiation hardening, which manifested as an increase in strength and a decrease in strain bursts in the irradiated specimens. This change in deformation behavior indicates the impact of radiation-induced defects on dislocation dynamics. Helium implantation resulted in the formation of surface steps and, as shown by nanoindentation mapping, led to a localized increase in hardness, highlighting the significant influence of helium on mechanical properties. Microstructural examination revealed the steel's tempered martensitic structure and pointed to the importance of M23C6 and MX precipitates in modulating the effects of irradiation. Notably, K-RAFM steels showed a diminished extent of irradiation hardening, which can be attributed to the higher fraction of MX precipitates serving as effective trapping sites for point defects. Understanding how microstructural features influence mechanical performance in K-RAFM steels assists in steering the creation of materials tailored to improve radiation resistance in nuclear environments.

Effect of helium ion irradiation on the microstructure, mechanical properties and surface morphology of Inconel 625 alloy

Inconel 625 alloy is mainly used for reactor pressure vessel, fuel cladding, nuclear fuel elements and cryogenic channels for cooling high temperature superconductors in Tokamaks. This study focuses on deciphering the impact of helium ion irradiation on the properties of Inconel 625 alloy. Helium-ions interaction with material leads to blistering, void formation, swelling, and degradation of mechanical properties. To understand these effects, the samples of Inconel 625 alloy were irradiated by helium-ion fluence beams at three different helium-ion beam fluence (1 × 1013, 1 × 1014, 1 × 1015 He/cm2). A decrease in grain size was observed from 34.4 to 19.0 nm with an increase in the ion fluence. According to the results, the residual strain is increased, from 1.8 to 43.0 micro-strain with the increase in helium-ion fluence, however structure is relaxed with decrease in micro-strain at higher helium-ion fluence (1 × 1015 He/cm2) and also there is a prominent increase in grain size. The surface morphology as observed by scanning electron microscope (SEM) illustrates the fuzz formation at low fluence (1 × 1013 He/cm2), while samples irradiated with high helium ion fluence (1 × 1015 He/cm2) showed grain growth, voids and surface blistering (deep valleys). An increase in hardness value at low helium-ion beam fluence is observed due to the presence of large population of defects. However, at higher helium-ion beam fluence, a decrease in hardness value is observed. This decrease might be attributed to the dislocation clustering and grain growth.

Change in Superparamagnetic State Induced by Swift Heavy Ion Irradiation in Nano-Maghemite

The effect of swift heavy ion irradiation on sol–gel-prepared maghemite nanoparticles was studied by 57Fe transmission Mössbauer spectroscopy and X-ray diffractometry (XRD). The room temperature Mössbauer spectra of the non-irradiated nano-maghemite showed poorly resolved magnetically split, typical relaxation spectra due to the superparamagnetic state of the nanoparticles. Significant changes in the line shape, indicating changes in the superparamagnetic state, were found in the Mössbauer spectra upon irradiation by 160 MeV and 155 MeV 132Xe26+ ions with fluences of 5 × 1013 ion cm−2 and 1 × 1014 ion cm−2. XRD of the irradiated maghemite nanoparticles showed a significant broadening of the corresponding lines, indicating a decrease in the crystallite size, compared to those of the non-irradiated ones. The results are discussed in terms of the defects induced by irradiation and the corresponding changes related to the change in particle size and consequently in the superparamagnetic state caused by irradiation.

Effect of helium ion and gamma irradiation on the TL and OSL properties of Tb-doped LiF nanophosphors

Lithium Fluoride (LiF) stands out as a extensively researched material in Thermally Stimulated Luminescence Dosimetry (TLD). This study specifically delves into nanocrystalline Tb-doped LiF TL dosimeters, synthesized through the co-precipitation method, and evaluates their efficacy under He ion and gamma rays radiation. Morphological examination via transmission electron microscopy has revealed cubic-shaped particles. These particles were subjected to irradiation by 120 keV He ion beams ranging from 1014 to 1016 ions/cm2 and gamma rays ranging from 10 to 1000 Gy, facilitating a comprehensive comparative analysis. Deconvolution of the glow curves enabled the extraction of trapping parameters. Under gamma irradiation, the nanophosphor exhibited a distinctive, intense single TL glow peak centered at 400 K with a minor hump at 512 K, diminishing with increasing doses. Conversely, under He ion irradiation, the nanophosphor displayed a peak at 492 K, accompanied by a slight shoulder around 600 K. Additionally, gamma doses displayed a highly promising response to Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL). Fading studies further underscore its suitability for radiation dosimetry applications. The unique characteristics of the TL glow curve, dose-response behaviours, and OSL responses highlight the versatility and effectiveness of these nanophosphors in radiation dosimetry, making significant contributions to advancements in this field.

TCAD simulation study of heavy ion radiation effects on hetero junctionless tunnel field effect transistor

Semiconductor devices used in radiation environment are more prone to degradation in device performance. Junctionless Tunnel Field Effect Transistor (JLTFET) is one of the most potential candidates which overcomes the short channel effects and fabrication difficulties. In this work, 20 nm JLTFET is proposed with Silicon in the drain/channel region whereas source uses different materials, Silicon Germanium (SiGe), Gallium Nitride (GaN), Gallium Arsenide (GaAs), Indium Arsenide (InAs). The device performance is examined by subjecting it to heavy ion radiation at a lower and higher dose of linear energy transfer (LET) values. It can be seen that the most sensitive location is the source/channel (S/C) interface for SiGe, GaN and GaAs whereas the drain/channel (D/C) interface for InAs. Further analysis is carried out at these vulnerable regions by matching ION of all materials. The parameters, transient peak current (Ipeak), collected charge (QC), threshold voltage shift (ΔVth) and bipolar gain (β) are extracted using transient simulations. It is observed that for a lower dose of LET, Ipeak of SiGe is 27% lesser than InAs and for higher dose of LET, SiGe shows 56% lesser Ipeak than InAs. SiGe is less sensitive at lower and higher dose of LET due to reduced ΔVth, tunneling and electron density.

Effect of 710 MeV Bi+51 swift heavy ions irradiation on Se pre-implanted polycrystalline SiC

In this study, the effect of swift heavy ions (SHIs) irradiation in the recrystallization of polycrystalline SiC pre-implanted with selenium (Se) ions and migration of Se was investigated. The main objective of this study is to investigate the role of SHIs with the maximum electronic energy loss greater than 20 keV/nm on structural evolution of initially amorphized pre-implanted SiC and the migration of pre-implanted fission products (FPs). The pristine SiC samples were first implanted with 200 keV Se ions to a fluence of 1 × 1016 cm−2 at room temperature (RT) and at 350 °C. Some of the pre-implanted samples were then irradiated with bismuth (Bi) ions of 710 MeV to a fluence of 1 × 1013 cm−2 at RT. The characterization of both the implanted and implanted then irradiated SiC was conducted using techniques such as transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS). At RT, Se ions implantation caused the amorphization of SiC to a depth of about 187 nm beneath the surface. In contrast, when implanted at 350 °C, the SiC retained its crystalline structure with some defects (i.e., point defects, point defect clusters and some dislocation loops). The SHIs irradiation of the RT implanted SiC resulted in the reduction of the amorphous layer thickness from 187 nm to around 178 nm and led to the formation of nanocrystalline SiC in the amorphous layer. Irradiation of the SiC implanted at 350 °C induced some crystallization of defects. Notably, no evidence of Se ions migration was observed in both the irradiated RT-implanted and the hot-implanted SiC.

A robust nano-indentation modeling method for ion-irradiated FCC single crystals using strain-gradient crystal plasticity theory and particle swarm optimization algorithm

Addressing the challenge of identifying an appropriate set of material and irradiation parameters for accurate simulation models using crystal plasticity finite element method (CPFEM), this study proposes a novel two-stage method for nano-indentation modeling of ion-irradiated face-centered cubic (FCC) materials. It includes implementing the strain-gradient crystal plasticity (SGCP) theory with irradiation effects and the calibration of simulation parameters using the particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm with experimental data. The proposed method consists of two stages: establishing CPFEM without irradiation effects in stage 1 and modeling irradiation effects based on CPFEM in stage 2. Modeling the nano-indentation test of ion-irradiated stainless steel 304 (SS304) using real experimental data is conducted to evaluate the efficiency of the proposed method. The accuracy of the calibration method using PSO is verified through comparisons between simulation and experimental results for force-indentation depth and hardness-indentation depth relationships under both unirradiated and irradiated conditions. Moreover, effect of ion-irradiation on the mechanical behavior during the nano-indentation of single crystal SS304 is also examined to demonstrate that the proposed method is a powerful approach for nano-indentation modeling of ion-irradiated FCC single crystals using SGCP theory and the PSO algorithm.

Analysis of drought resistance of Malus hupehensis plants irradiated with 12C6+ heavy ion

Heavy ion radiation is widely used in radiation mutation breeding because it usually leads to a high mutation rate of irradiated materials. However, there is a scarcity of reports on heavy ion radiation's effects on apples. In this study, the seeds of Malus hupehensis irradiated by 12C6+ heavy ions were used as materials. Subsequently, the germinated plants underwent two brief drought treatments. The results revealed enhanced drought resistance in the irradiated plants, leading to the selection of four mutants (DR-1, DR-2, DR-3, and DR-27). Under prolonged drought treatment, these four mutant lines exhibited significantly lower stomatal density and higher POD activity than the control. Consequently, they suffered less damage while maintaining consistent growth and development, showcasing substantial drought resistance. Transcriptome analysis indicated higher expression levels of stress-responsive genes and pathways in DR-1 and DR-27 plants under prolonged drought stress compared to the control. Notably, within the starch and sucrose metabolic pathway, mutant plants displayed elevated sucrose synthase expression and significantly higher sucrose content than the control, indicating enhanced osmoregulation of mutants. Therefore, these results demonstrate that, under prolonged drought stress, mutant plants sustain growth and development by reducing stomatal density and boosting antioxidant enzyme activity and osmoregulation. We found that 12C6+ heavy ion radiation could enhance the drought resistance of Malus hupehensis plants, and the drought resistant plants which had been verified by long-term drought were selected from the irradiated plants, which provided a new theoretical and technical basis for 12C6+ heavy ion radiation breeding and was of great significance to the development of apple industry in arid areas.

The effect of nickel additive and ion irradiation on the structural and optical properties of lithium borate glasses

The study investigates the impact of nickel oxide (NiO) doping (0%, 0.1%, 0.2%, and 0.3% wt%) on the glass composition 85B2O3-15Li2O using the melt quenching technique. Both X-ray diffraction (XRD) and FTIR confirm the amorphous nature and functional groups. Density, molar volume, average boron separation, ion concentration, interionic distance, polaron radius,. UV-visible absorption (200–1100 nm) was also recorded before and after nitrogen ion beam irradiation (fluence: 8x1017 and 16x1017 ion/cm2). Results indicate a decrease in the optical energy gap (Eoptical gap) and an increase in Urbach’s energy (EU) with higher NiO content, especially post-irradiation. Nitrogen ion irradiation at higher doses (16x1017 ion/cm2) induces more significant effects, attributed to increased non-bridging oxygen species (NBOs) formation and finally dielectric parameters were measured from 100 Hz to 100 kHz. Overall, the ability to tailor borate glass properties via nitrogen ion irradiation holds promise for diverse technological applications in optoelectronics, photonics, sensors, and radiationdetection

Highlighting the effects of gamma irradiation of the brain through non-conventional X-ray imaging

Whole brain irradiation is largely used as an alternative radiotherapy of brain tumors that cannot be eliminated by surgery so the effects of ionizing radiation on brain healthy tissue represents an important research domain. The aim of this study is to evaluate the irradiation effects on in vitro brain tissue spheroids models as well as the whole mouse brain using standard cellular biology assays and a multi-energy X-ray imaging technique. The spheroids irradiated with gamma rays (dose between 0–30 Gy) and treated with biocompatible nanoparticles consisting of concentrations between 0–100 μM proved to be morphologically stable and with a high radio-resistance. The reactive oxygen species concentration and the γ-H2AX foci number increase with the irradiation dose, as expected. The X-ray imaging with dual-energy technique method proposed here was able to differentiate between irradiated and control samples (whole brain). Concluding, our results proved the expected effects of ionizing radiation on brain tissue. The dual-energy X-ray imaging method tested here appears as a promising method for characterizing the ionizing radiation effects on the whole brain level.

Investigation of the Impact of Temporal Dose Delivery Patterns of Ion Irradiation with the Local Effect Model.

We present an extension of the Local Effect Model (LEM) to include time-dose relationships for predicting effects of protracted and split-dose ion irradiation at arbitrary LET. With this kinetic extension, the spatial and temporal induction and processing of DNA double strand breaks (DSB) in cellular nuclei can be simulated for a wide range of ion radiation qualities, doses and dose rates. The key concept of the extension is based on the joint spatial and temporal coexistence of initial DSB, leading to the formation of clustered DNA damage on the µm scale (as defined e.g., by the size scale of Mbp chromatin loops), which is considered to have an increased cellular lethality as compared to isolated, single DSB. By simulating the time dependent induction and repair of DSB and scoring of isolated and clustered DSB upon irradiation, the impact of dose rate and split dose on the cell survival probability can be computed. In a first part of this work, we systematically analyze the predicted impact of protraction in dependence of factors like dose, LET, ion species and radiosensitivity as characterized by the photon LQ-parameters. We establish links to common concepts that describe dose rate effects for low LET radiation. We also compare the model predictions to experimental data and find agreement with the general trends observed in the experiments. The relevant concepts of our approach are compared to other models suitable for predicting time effects. We investigate an apparent analogy between spatial and temporal concentration of radiation delivery, both leading to increased effectiveness, and discuss similarities and differences between the general dependencies of these clustering effects on their impacting factors. Finally, we conclude that the findings give additional support for the general concept of the LEM, i.e. the characterization of high LET radiation effects based on the distinction of just two classes of DSB (isolated DSB and clustered DSB).

On brittle fracture resistance determination of chromium stainless steel irradiated in ion accelerator

The possibility of brittle fracture resistance (BFR) determination is investigated with mechanical testing for ion-irradiated chromium stainless steel. To consider the ion irradiation effect on material properties disc specimens in initial and irradiated states were tested by mechanical loading until brittle fracture. The micro- hardness of specimens before and after ion irradiation was also determined. It was found that the microhardness of ion-irradiated steel is higher than the microhardness of steel in initial state. However, critical loads for brittle fracture of disc specimens are practically equal for initial and ion-irradiated states. The performed calculations, SEM investigations and also analysis of mechanisms of cleavage microcrack nucleation in disc specimen surfaces allowed us to explain the brittle fracture test results. As fracture tests do not allow us to estimate BFR, it is proposed to estimate BFR by microhardness measurement results.

A Review: Multi-Omics Approach to Studying the Association between Ionizing Radiation Effects on Biological Aging.

Multi-omics studies have emerged as powerful tools for tailoring individualized responses to various conditions, capitalizing on genome sequencing technologies' increasing affordability and efficiency. This paper delves into the potential of multi-omics in deepening our understanding of biological age, examining the techniques available in light of evolving technology and computational models. The primary objective is to review the relationship between ionizing radiation and biological age, exploring a wide array of functional, physiological, and psychological parameters. This comprehensive review draws upon an extensive range of sources, including peer-reviewed journal articles, government documents, and reputable websites. The literature review spans from fundamental insights into radiation effects to the latest developments in aging research. Ionizing radiation exerts its influence through direct mechanisms, notably single- and double-strand DNA breaks and cross links, along with other critical cellular events. The cumulative impact of DNA damage forms the foundation for the intricate process of natural aging, intersecting with numerous diseases and pivotal biomarkers. Furthermore, there is a resurgence of interest in ionizing radiation research from various organizations and countries, reinvigorating its importance as a key contributor to the study of biological age. Biological age serves as a vital reference point for the monitoring and mitigation of the effects of various stressors, including ionizing radiation. Ionizing radiation emerges as a potent candidate for modeling the separation of biological age from chronological age, offering a promising avenue for tailoring protocols across diverse fields, including the rigorous demands of space exploration.

Vortex-induced nonlinearity and the effects of ion irradiation on the high-frequency response of NbTi films

The microwave response of superconducting devices can be affected by nonlinearity effects of both intrinsic and extrinsic origin. In this study, we report on the nonlinear behavior of NbTi microwave resonators, in the presence of dc magnetic fields up to 4 T. The aim of this work is to characterize the vortex-induced nonlinearity, which in these conditions of frequency (11 GHz) and fields is expected to give the major contribution to dissipation, when the circulating rf current exceeds a given threshold. Nonlinearity is investigated by analyzing Q-degradation and resonance curve distortion as a function of the input rf power, while the emergence of sharp discontinuities is associated to the existence of an rf limiting current density. The current densities corresponding to the onset of these features are compared to the critical current density from dc measurements, helping us to outline a comprehensive picture. Moreover, the pinning constant was extracted as a function of temperature by means of a Gittleman–Rosenblum analysis, revealing the prominent role of δTc−type pinning. We also analyzed the effects of introducing controlled artificial disorder and pinning sites through 1.5-MeV proton irradiation. After irradiation, we observed an increase of both the pinning constant and the in-field nonlinearity threshold and limiting current.

A Deep Insight Into the Ionizing Radiation Effects and Mechanisms on the Dynamic Characteristics of SiC MOSFETs

A Deep Insight Into the Ionizing Radiation Effects and Mechanisms on the Dynamic Characteristics of SiC MOSFETs

Effect of heavy ion irradiation on the electrochemical behavior of 321 stainless steel

Aiming to the environment for 321 stainless steel (SS) in primary circuit of pressurized water reactor (PWR), the effect of heavy ion irradiation to simulate neutron irradiation on the electrochemical behavior of alloy is unclear. The purpose of this work is to evaluate the corrosion resistance of 321 SS at different doses and the contribution of heavy ion irradiation in it. This work reveals that the corrosion resistance decreases in the order of 2 dpa > 0 dpa > 10 dpa > 60 dpa at room temperature, consistent with the sequence of δ-phase content near the surface. The effect of irradiation dose on the corrosion resistance of 321 SS is inversely proportional at higher dose and optimal performance of the SS irradiated to 2 dpa is attributed to the highest content of Cr-rich δ-phase. The pits occur in C enrichment zone, accompanied by increase of O content, while no pit occurs in Ti enrichment area. The results provide a reference for the irradiated SS with heavy ion to acquire optimal pitting resistence.

Reactive oxygen species may be involved in the distinctive biological effects of different doses of 12C6+ ion beams on Arabidopsis.

Heavy ion beam is a novel approach for crop mutagenesis with the advantage of high energy transfer line density and low repair effect after injury, however, little investigation on the biological effect on plant was performed. 50 Gy irradiation significantly stimulated the growth of Arabidopsis seedlings, as indicated by an increase in root and biomass, while 200 Gy irradiation significantly inhibited the growth of seedlings, causing a visible decrease in plant growth. The Arabidopsis seeds were irradiated by 12C6+. Monte Carlo simulations were used to calculate the damage to seeds and particle trajectories by ion implantation. The seed epidermis received SEM detection and changes in its organic composition were detected using FTIR. Evidence of ROS and antioxidant systems were analyzed. RNA-seq and qPCR were used to detect changes in seedling transcript levels. Monte Carlo simulations revealed that high-dose irradiation causes various damage. Evidence of ROS and antioxidant systems implies that the emergence of phenotypes in plant cells may be associated with oxidative stress. Transcriptomic analysis of the seedlings demonstrated that 170 DEGs were present in the 50 Gy and 200 Gy groups and GO enrichment indicated that they were mainly associated with stress resistance and cell wall homeostasis. Further GO enrichment of DEGs unique to 50 Gy and 200 Gy revealed 58 50Gy-exclusive DEGs were enriched in response to oxidative stress and jasmonic acid entries, while 435 200 Gy-exclusive DEGs were enriched in relation to oxidative stress, organic cyclic compounds, and salicylic acid. This investigation advances our insight into the biological effects of heavy ion irradiation and the underlying mechanisms.

Effects of Ion Irradiation on Stage II Fatigue Crack Growth and Plasticity

AbstractFatigue crack growth characteristics of ion irradiated compact tension (CT) specimens were evaluated in the Paris law region. Fatigue crack growth was monitored under tension‐tension loading and the thermoelastic response was measured. Two stages of crack propagation were identified. In the first 300,000 cycles, crack growth rates of irradiated and unirradiated specimens were comparable and plastic zone area was found to be independent of crack length. Beyond 300,000 cycles, irradiated specimens showed a greater crack growth rate; additionally, the plastic zone area increased with crack length. The increase in crack growth rate was attributed to irradiation hardening. The plastic zone area was found to be dependent on the crack path, especially in the initial stages of crack propagation. Local peaks in the value of the area of the plastic zone were found to be associated with greater crack tortuosity and secondary cracks. As a result, decreases in plastic zone area were associated with greater crack growth rates.

The effect of iron ion irradiation on the ionic conductivity of lithium lanthanum zirconium oxide garnet thin films

The ionic conductivity of most lithium lanthanum zirconium oxide (LLZO, Li7La3Zr2O12) solid electrolytes requires improvement. In this study, LLZO thin films were fabricated through sputtering, and various doses of iron ion irradiation (Fe11+) were employed. As the irradiation dose increased from 1014 ions cm−2 to 1016 ions cm−2, the half-height width of the X-ray diffraction peak gradually broadened. Concurrently, the ionic conductivity increased from 2.3 × 10−9 S cm−1 to 2.4 × 10−5 S cm−1, while the activation energy decreased from 0.37 eV to 0.18 eV. The improved ionic conductivity can be attributed to the introduction of point defects in the microstructure of the LLZO thin film upon irradiation. Overall, the findings demonstrate the effective enhancement of the ionic conductivity of LLZO solid electrolytes through iron ion irradiation.