Oxygen vacancy defects in antiferroelectric PbZrO3 thin film heterostructures after neutron irradiation

Abstract

Neutron irradiation effects on highly oriented antiferroelectric PbZrO3 (PZ) thin films are investigated in view of their possible application as a temperature sensitive element in an alternative bolometer system for fusion devices such as the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER). All films were prepared by a sol-gel technique or by pulsed laser deposition (PLD). The dielectric properties were investigated in a frequency range from 1 to 250kHz and at temperatures up to 400°C, prior to and after irradiation to neutron fluences of 0.5×1022, 1×1022, 2×1022, and 3×1022m−2 (E>0.1MeV). After irradiation, the films were annealed in several steps up to 400°C in order to remove the radiation-induced defects. The results are discussed in terms of a phenomenological model of radiation effects in PZ films, which takes into account structural defects, such as oxygen vacancies, and radiation-induced charges. We find that the films are most sensitive to neutron irradiation in the vicinity of the phase transistion temperature Tc. In addition, the structural order of the films as well as the interfaces play an important role. We find that the PZ heterostructures prepared by PLD are radiation harder than the sol-gel films. The dielectric properties of the PLD films are more or less unaffected by neutron irradiation up to a fluence of 3×1022m−2 (E>0.1MeV).

Dielectric properties of electron irradiated PbZrO3 thin films

“…For 120 kGy delivered dose, the T c is 513 K. The shift of T c could be related to strain near the contact electrodes. Similar results were reported by Bittner et al (2004) for the same sample under neutron irradiation. The effect of radiation induced increase of ε′ (T) is related to an internal bias field, which is caused by radiation induced charges trapped at grain boundaries.…”

“…The double hysteresis loop is retained even after electron irradiation. Radiation-induced oxygen vacancies do not change the general shape of the hysteresis loop, but they increase P s value at the electric field forced antiferroelectric to ferroelectric phase transition (Bittner et al 2004). These vacancies recombine partly with oxygen interstitials during heat treatment.…”

Temperature-induced evolution of subsurface nanocavities in argon-implanted copper

“…A similar approach is also used in several previous reports. [19][20][21]23,24 The detailed description of each temperature range is presented below.…”

Kinetic simulation of the 3D growth of subsurface impurity nanoclusters during cobalt deposition onto a copper surface

“…Under these assumptions and using a kinetic approach developed for describing the formation of different materials and systems [6][7][8][9][10], we write the system of equations for the physical quantities that characterize the growth of subsurface cobalt clusters:…”

“…(4), (5), (8), and (9) that radius of the first subsurface layer and height of the cluster can be calculated with known attachment probabilities and (see assumption (iv)).…”