Apatite ceramics Ca10(PO4)6
X
2 (X = F, OH) were prepared by the standard solid state sintering method and irradiated with He ions under a fluence of 5 × 1016 ions/cm2 at 450 °C. Irradiation induced formation and growth of the He bubbles were observed by a transmission electron microscope. Hydroxyapatite Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2 and fluoroapatite Ca10(PO4)6F2 with different He bubble morphologies indicate the influence of OH
–/F
– substitution on the He-ion annealing efficiency, as well as the structure itself, which affects the process of He bubble evolution and formation. The grain boundaries also act as sinks to accumulate He bubbles. No obvious irradiation damage but slight intensity reduction and left shift of diffraction peaks were observed according to the grazing incidence x-ray diffraction and Raman spectra characterizations, indicating that defects of interstitials and vacancies were generated.
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