Amorphization of cubic zirconia by caesium-ion implantation

Comprehensive study of the effect of the irradiation temperature on the behavior of cubic zirconia

“…The spectra registered in random orientation display a plateau (below 2600 keV) and a peak (around 1000 keV) which correspond to the backscattering of analyzing particles from the Zr and O atoms of the target, respectively. Note that the O signal is enhanced due to the existence of the 4 He( 16 O, 16 O) 4 He resonant reaction at 3.038 MeV. Spectra registered in channeling orientation on virgin crystals obviously exhibit a much lower yield than the random ones.…”

“…The radiation behavior of ion-irradiated solids is generally assessed by determining the damage accumulation build-up, which is the variation of a given disorder parameter with the ion fluence. Figure 8 presents the evolution of the damage level obtained by RBS/C; experimental data are fitted with the multi-step damage accumulation model (MSDA) 36,37 already used to account for former experimental results obtained on, e.g., ion-irradiated zirconia, 16 SiC, 38 and pyrochlores. 39 Briefly, this model assumes that the damage accumulation process occurs in several (n) distinct steps, each step being triggered by the destabilization of the current structure of the material, and the successive structural transformations are described by a direct impact mechanism.…”

“…[13][14][15] All works put forward that YSZ maintains its structural integrity up to very high irradiation levels ($100 displacements per atom, dpa). No amorphization has been detected, except when a significant concentration of particular atomic species such as Cs is introduced in the crystalline lattice, 16,17 but the required Cs concentration ($8%) is well above that expected in an IMF. When YSZ is irradiated in the nuclear energy-loss regime, it exhibits a multi-step damage build-up, 5,18,19 each step being characterized by a predominant type of radiation defects.…”

Temperature dependent evolution of dislocation loops in YSZ under high energy electron irradiation

“…Rutherford backscattering spectrometry/channeling (RBS/C) experiments on ion irradiated zirconia [16] and pyrochlores [17] have shown that damage accumulation process consists of several distinct steps and it has been successfully fitted by multi-step damage accumulation (MSDA) model [18]. Debelle et al [13] showed in 4 MeV Au 2+ irradiated YSZ that there is a significant variation of the threshold fluence for initiating the damage step with irradiation temperature, although the disorder level at high fluence is similar, irrespective of temperature.…”

Krypton and Helium Irradiation Damage in Yttria-stabilised Zirconia

“…Zirconia-based PuIMFs have achieved plutonium consumption rates of up to 142 kg/TWhe, although the thermal conductivity of zirconia-based fuel is less than half that of UO 2 [5]. [8][9][10][11][12][13][14]. Its excellent neutronic properties have lead to its use in the reflector segments of the Belgium MYRRHA accelerator driven system (ADS) for minor actinide transmutation [15].…”