Fine Structure in Swift Heavy Ion Tracks in Amorphous SiO2

P. Kluth (1) , C.S. Schnohr (1) , O.H. Pakarinen (2) , F. Djurabekova (2) , D.J. Sprouster (1) , R. Giulian (1) , M.C. Ridgway (1) , A.P. Byrne (3) , C. Trautmann (4) , D.J. Cookson (5) , K. Nordlund (2) , Marcel Toulemonde (6)

1 Department of Electronic Materials Engineering, Research School of Physical Sciences and Engineering
2 Department of Physics and Helsinki Institute of Physics
3 DNP - Department of Nuclear Physics
4 GSI Materialforschung
5 Australian Synchrotron [Clayton]
6 CIMAP - UMR 6252 - Centre de recherche sur les Ions, les MAtériaux et la Photonique

We report on the observation of a fine structure in ion tracks in amorphous SiO2 using small angle x-ray scattering measurements. Tracks were generated by high energy ion irradiation with Au and Xe between 27 MeV and 1.43 GeV. In agreement with molecular dynamics simulations, the tracks consist of a core characterized by a significant density deficit compared to unirradiated material, surrounded by a high density shell. The structure is consistent with a frozen-in pressure wave originating from the center of the ion track as a result of a thermal spike.

Domaines: Science des matériaux [cond-mat.mtrl-sci]

P. Kluth, C.S. Schnohr, O.H. Pakarinen, F. Djurabekova, D.J. Sprouster, et al.. Fine Structure in Swift Heavy Ion Tracks in Amorphous SiO2. Physical Review Letters, 2008, 101, pp.175503. ⟨cea-00343820⟩