Using synchrotron small angle X-ray scattering we determine the 'latent' track morphology and their annealing kinetics in the Durango apatite. The latter, measured during ex situ and in situ annealing experiments, suggests structural relaxation followed by recrystallisation of the damaged material. The resolution of fractions of a nanometer with which the track radii are determined, as well as the non-destructive, artefact-free measurement methodology shown here, provides a new means for in-depth studies of ion-track formation in natural minerals under a wide variety of geological conditions.

The morphology of swift heavy ion tracks in crystalline α-quartz was investigated using small angle x-ray scattering (SAXS), molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and transmission electron microscopy. Tracks were generated by irradiation with heavy ions with energies between 27 MeV and 2.2 GeV. The analysis of the SAXS data indicates a density change of the tracks of ~2 ± 1% compared to the surrounding quartz matrix for all irradiation conditions. The track radii only show a weak dependence on the electronic energy loss at values above 17 keV nm(-1), in contrast to values previously reported from Rutherford backscattering spectrometry measurements and expectations from the inelastic thermal spike model. The MD simulations are in good agreement at low energy losses, yet predict larger radii than SAXS at high ion energies. The observed discrepancies are discussed with respect to the formation of a defective halo around an amorphous track core, the existence of high stresses and/or the possible presence of a boiling phase in quartz predicted by the inelastic thermal spike model.

Ion tracks formed in amorphous Ge by swift heavy-ion irradiation have been identified with experiment and modeling to yield unambiguous evidence of tracks in an amorphous semiconductor. Their underdense core and overdense shell result from quenched-in radially outward material flow. Following a solid-toliquid phase transformation, the volume contraction necessary to accommodate the high-density molten phase produces voids, potentially the precursors to porosity, along the ion direction. Their bow-tie shape, reproduced by simulation, results from radially inward resolidification. DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.110.245502 PACS numbers: 61.80.Jh, 61.43.Dq, 61.43.Bn, 61.05.cf Swift heavy-ion irradiation (SHII) has many applications, spanning geochronological dating [1] to nanostructure fabrication [2]. Though this approach has found industrial application [3], the fundamental nature of ionsolid interactions at very high ion energies remains poorly understood. Such interactions are dominated by inelastic processes (electronic stopping) resulting in the excitation and ionization of substrate atoms while, in contrast, the elastic processes (nuclear stopping) that lead to ballistic atomic displacements at much lower energies are negligible in the SHII regime. The efficiency with which energy deposited in the electronic subsystem is subsequently transferred to the lattice is governed by the electronphonon coupling parameter g where typically g amorphous > g crystalline due to a reduced electron mean free path in the former. When the lattice temperature exceeds that required for melting, a narrow cylinder of molten material is formed along the ion path. The ensuing rapid resolidification of this transient liquid phase can yield remnant structural modifications within the substrate in the form of an ion track.Crystalline Ge (c-Ge) is relatively insensitive to SHII such that ion-track production necessitates very high electronic stopping S e values. Discontinuous tracks follow single-ion irradiation (S e ¼ 35 keV=nm) [4,5] while cluster-ion irradiation (S e ¼ 37-51 keV=nm) yields tracks of diameter 5-15 nm [5]. In contrast, amorphous Ge (a-Ge) is rendered porous under SHII with S e > $10 keV=nm [6] while ion hammering results for S e > $12 keV=nm [6], the latter manifested as a nonzero deformation yield [7]. These observations are consistent with g amorphous > g crystalline and ion-track formation has been suggested as the origin of these two phenomena [6,7]. A recent molecular dynamics (MD) study of irradiated a-Ge [8] suggested voids originate from outgoing shock waves resulting from rapid heating and expansion of the ion-track core. The sole report of ion tracks in a-Ge is that of Furuno et al. [9] who reported recrystallization of tracks in a 5-nm a-Ge layer following SHII in a grazing-incidence orientation, a geometry that can lead to significant reductions in threshold S e values for ion-track formation [10]. The proximity of the surface could also perturb resolidification and enable recrystallization given the molten i...

We present experimental evidence for the formation of ion tracks in amorphous Si induced by swift heavy-ion irradiation. An underlying core-shell structure consistent with remnants of a high-density liquid structure was revealed by small-angle x-ray scattering and molecular dynamics simulations. Ion track dimensions differ for as-implanted and relaxed Si as attributed to different microstructures and melting temperatures. The identification and characterization of ion tracks in amorphous Si yields new insight into mechanisms of damage formation due to swift heavy-ion irradiation in amorphous semiconductors.

Spherical silver nanoparticles were prepared by means of ion beam synthesis in lithium niobate. The embedded nanoparticles were then irradiated with energetic (84)Kr and (197)Au ions, resulting in different electronic energy losses between 8.1 and 27.5 keV nm(-1) in the top layer of the samples. Due to the high electronic energy losses of the irradiating ions, molten ion tracks are formed inside the lithium niobate in which the elongated Ag nanoparticles are formed. This process is strongly dependent on the initial particle size and leads to a broad aspect ratio distribution. Extinction spectra of the samples feature the extinction maximum with shoulders on either side. While the maximum is caused by numerous remaining spherical nanoparticles, the shoulders can be attributed to elongated particles. The latter could be verified by COMSOL simulations. The extinction spectra are thus a superposition of the spectra of all individual particles.

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