Electron irradiation effect on Al

2
O
3
Kurt Sickafus
Younes Sina
Ionization vs. Excitation
Excitation transfers enough energy to an orbital electron to displace it
further away from the nucleus.
High energy incident electron
In ionization the electron is removed, resulting in an ion pair.
IONISATION
Ejected electron
Incident electron with a specific energy
Atomic electron absorbs energy and moves into a higher orbit
EXCITATION
Bremsstralung (or Braking) Radiation
High speed electrons may lose energy in the form of X-
rays when they quickly decelerate upon striking a heavy
material.
Bremsstrahlung
Probability of bremsstrahlung production per atom is
proportional to the square of Z of the absorber

Energy emission via bremsstrahlung varies inversely with the
square of the mass of the incident particle
Protons and alpha particles produce less than one-millionth
the amount of bremsstrahlung radiation as electrons of the
same energy
Bremsstrahlung
Ratio of electron energy loss by bremsstrahlung production to
that lost by excitation and ionization = EZ/820


E = kinetic energy of incident electron in MeV
Z = atomic number of the absorber
Energy loss for Al: Brem./ (Exc. & Ion.) = 113/820 = 1.58%
Charged Particle Tracks
Electrons follow tortuous paths in matter as the result of multiple
scattering events
Ionization track is sparse and nonuniform
Larger mass of heavy charged particle results in dense and usually linear
ionization track
Path length is actual distance particle travels; range is actual depth of
penetration in matter
Particle interactions
Energetic charged particles interact with matter by
electrical forces and lose kinetic energy via:
Excitation
Ionization
Radiative losses

~ 70% of charged particle energy deposition leads
to nonionizing excitation
8
Dose = Absorbed Energy Density
1 Gy = 1
J
kg
SI units
Absorbed energy normalized by weight, volume, atoms, etc.
9
Water: heat to boiling point
c
p
H
2
O
= 4.1813
J
g K
(@ 25C)
specific heat of water
AT = 80 K
c
p
H
2
O
AT = 334.5
J
g

10
3
g
kg
= 3.34510
5
J
kg
= 0.3345 MGy
Absorbed
Energy
Projectile-Target Interactions
# events
<volume> or <weight>
= o t

Projectile-Target Interactions
# events
volume
=
a
atoms
volume

o
area
atom

projectiles
areagtime

t time | |
# events
weight
=
w
atoms
weight

(
o
area
atom

projectiles
areagtime

t time | |
atomic
density
cross-
section
flux time
Projectile-Target Interactions
u
projectiles
area

(
=
projectiles
areagtime

(
t time
| |
fluence flux time =
Projectile-Target Interactions
# events
volume
=
a
atoms
volume

o
area
atom

u
projectiles
area

# events
weight
=
w
atoms
weight

(
o
area
atom

u
projectiles
area

atomic
density
cross-
section
fluence
Projectile-Target Interactions
# events
volume

a
atoms
volume

= o
area
atom

u
projectiles
area

cross-
section
fluence
Projectile-Target Interactions
Leading to Atomic Displacements
# atomic displacements
volume

a
atoms
volume

= o
area
atom

u
projectiles
area

displacements
atom
= o
area
atom

u
projectiles
area

displacement
cross-
section
fluence dpa =
Ballistic
Dose
Electron irradiation-induced amorphization
of sapphire (Al
2
O
3
)
1 MeV electrons
room-temperature irradiation conditions
Two components of damage:

1. electronic component
(electron excitation/ionization; radiolysis)

2. nuclear component
(ballistic or displacement damage)
Electron irradiation-induced amorphization
of sapphire (Al
2
O
3
)
1. Electronic Stopping
Electron Excitation/Ionization
Bethe-Ashkin expression for ionization energy loss per unit length
H. A. Bethe, and J. Ashkin, in Experimental Nuclear Physics. Volume I, edited by E. Segr (John Wiley &
Sons, Inc., New York, 1953), pp. 166-357.
Electron Excitation/Ionization
Bethe-Ashkin expression for ionization energy loss per unit length

dE
dx
=
2te
4
E
0

e
|
2
Ln
E
0
|
2
E
2J
2
(1 |
2
)
|
\

|
.
|
2 1 |
2
1 |
2
( )
Ln2
+1 |
2
+
1
8
1 1 |
2
( )
2

relativistic expression
E
0
= m
e
c
2
= rest energy of the electron
m
e
= rest mass of the electron
c = speed of light
e
2
= 14.4 eV
| =
v
c
v = velocity of electron
c = speed of light
| = 1
E
0
E
0
+ E
|
\

|
.
|
2
E
0
= rest energy of the electron
E = kinetic energy of the electron

e
= Z
a

e
= electron density
Z = atomic number

a
= atomic density
J = 9.76 Z + 58.5 Z
0.19
(eV)
= mean electron excitation potential
M. J. Berger, and S. M. Seltzer, Nat. Acad. Sci. / Nat. Res. Council Publ. 1133 (Washington,
1964), p. 205.
W. H. Bragg, and M. A. Elder, Phil. Mag. 10, 318
(1905)

Braggs Rule for Additivity of Stopping Powers
Stopping Power
c
e
= S
e
E
( )
=
1

a
dE
dx
e

eV
2
atom e

|
\

|
.
|
Braggs Rule for Additivity of Stopping Powers
c
e
A
m
B
n
= m c
e
A
+ n c
e
B
where m is the number of A atoms in molecule A
m
B
n
and n is the number of B atoms in molecule A
m
B
n
For binary compound with molecular unit, A
m
B
n
:
One can show that:
dE
dx
e
A
m
B
n
=
m
A
m
B
n
c
e
A
m
B
n
=
dE
dx
e
A
+
dE
dx
e
B
where
m
A
m
B
n
is the molecular density of A
m
B
n
molecules in the compound.
Ionization stopping in Al
2
O
3
dE/dx (E = 1 MeV) = -0.0377 eV/ . e
-

E = 1000 keV= 1 MeV
thickness = 1000
TEM sample thickness
Total ionization energy
loss over sample thickness
= 37.7 eV/e
-
= 6.032x10
-18
J/e
-

Electron fluence:
=110
28
e/m
2
=110
8
e/
2
Irradiation time= t= 2 hr = 7200 s
= 1.3810
4
e
-
/
2
s
Areal Energy Density =
dE
dx
electronic
u
= 3.504 10
11
J

2
Total Energy Density =
Areal Energy Density
thickness
= 3.504 10
14
J

3
=37.710
8
eV/
2
= 3.7710
-10
J/
2

=3.7710
-13
J/
3
Magnitude of dose: TeraGray !!

Al2O3
= 3980 Kg/m
3

Dose= 94.7210
12
J/Kg= 94.7 TGy
2. Nuclear Stopping
Electron displacement damage calculation
Primary damage cross-section after Seitz & Koehler (1956):
F. Seitz, and J. S. Koehler, in Solid State Physics: Advances in Research & Applications, edited by F.
Seitz, and D. Turnbull (Academic Press, 1956), pp. 305-448.
Based on the relativistic electron cross-section expression derived by McKinley & Feshbach (1948):
W. A. McKinley, Jr., and H. Feshbach, Physical Review 74, 1759 (1948).
Total cross-section (primary plus secondaries) after Oen (1973):
O. S. Oen, (Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, 1973), pp. 204.
Differential displacement cross-section, d
do(T ) =
t ' b
2
4
T
m
1|
2
T
T
m
+t ' o |
T
T
m

T
T
m

`
)

(
(
dT
T
2
where T is the kinetic energy of the electron
| = v / c = 1
E
0
E
0
+E
|
\

|
.
|
2
' o = o Z
where o is the fine structure constant (~1/137)
T
m
= maximum energy transfer from e

to target atom
T
m
=
4 m
e
M
m
e
+ M
( )
2
E 1+
E
2 E
0
|
\

|
.
|
where E is the incident electron energy
Ca
O
' b
2
= 4 Z
2
e
2
E
0
|
\

|
.
|
2
1
|
4

2
where
=
1
1 |
2
o
p
(E) = do
E
d
T
m
}
(T)
< area >
atom

(
where E
d
is the displacement threshold energy
Primary displacement cross-section:
Cascade cross-section:
o
tot
(E) = v(T ) do
E
d
T
m
}
(T )
< area >
atom

(
where v(T ) is the number of secondary displacements,
given most simply by the Kinchin-Pease expression:
v(T ) = 0; T < E
d
v(T ) =1; E
d
s T < 2E
d
v(T ) =
T
2E
d
; T > 2E
d
E = 1000 keV
Z
O
= 8

Z
Al
= 13

Z
Ave
=10
T
m
O
=271

T
m
Al
=161

T
m
Ave
=227
Z
O
= 8

Z
Al
= 13

Z
ave
=10
E
t
O
= 129,000

E
t
Al
= 205,000

E
t
Ave
= 159,400
E
d
= 20 eV
Z
O
= 8

Z
Al
= 13

Z
Ave
=10
E
O
= 238,000

E
Al
= 365,000
E
d
= 40 eV
Z
O
= 8

Z
Al
= 13

Z
Ave
=10
E
O
= 290,000

E
Al
= 430,000
E
d
= 50 eV
Z
O
= 8

Z
Al
= 13

Z
Ave
=10
E
t
O
= 290,000 eV

E
t
Al
= 430,000 eV
E=1 MeV
Ed=40 eV
T
m
Ave
=227 eV

2E
d
=80 eV
E=1 MeV
Ed=40 eV

p
@ 1 MeV =2.18 barns
-Al
2
O
3
E
threshold
ave
= 295 keV
Z
ave
=15.67
E
d
= 25 eV
T
m
ave
= 25.54 eV
2E
d
= 50 eV
E = 300 keV
o
tot
(E) = o
p
(E) = 0.588 barns = 5.8810
9

2
atom
powellite (CaMoO
4
)
52
53
22
28
41
1 barn = 10
-24
cm
2
=10
8

2
o
tot
(E) = v(T ) do
E
d
T
m
}
(T )
< area >
atom

(
where v(T ) is the number of secondary displacements,
given most simply by the Kinchin-Pease expression:
v(T ) = 0; T < E
d
v(T ) =1; E
d
s T < 2E
d
v(T ) =
T
2E
d
; T > 2E
d
o
tot
(E) = v(T ) do
E
d
T
m
}
(T )
< area >
atom

(
where v(T ) is the number of secondary displacements,
given most simply by the Kinchin-Pease expression:
v(T ) = 0; T < E
d
v(T ) =1; E
d
s T < 2E
d
v(T ) =
T
2E
d
; T > 2E
d

tot
=42 barns/atom= 4.210
-7

2
/atom
Cross section calculation for Al (E
d
=20 eV):
Electron fluence:
=110
28
e/m
2
=110
8
e/
2
Irradiation time, t = 2 hr = 7200 s
= 1.3810
4
e
-
/
2
s

tot
=42 barns/atom= 4.210
-7

2
/atom
displacements per atom = o
tot
u
= 5.8810
6

2
atom
310
6
e

2

= 0.018 dpa
dpa=(4.210
-7

2
/e).(110
8
e/
2
) = 42
RADIATION DAMAGE OF -Al
2
O
3
IN THE HVEM
II. Radiation damage at high temperature and high dose
G.P. PELLS and D.C. PHILLIPS
C. L. Chen, H. Furusho and H. Mori
The decomposition of - Al
2
O
3
under 200 keV
(Ultra High Vacuum) electron irradiation

Aluminum precipitated from - Al
2
O
3
under 200
keV electron irradiation for less than 1 min over
the temperature range 700 to 1273 K.

(electron dose rate)= 10
23
e m
-2
s
-1
Vacuum level < 310
-8
Pa

Model:
Thermally activated atom movement
Forced atom displacement ( knock-on collision)
RADIATION DAMAGE OF -Al
2
O
3
IN THE HVEM
II. Radiation damage at high temperature and high dose
G.P. PELLS and D.C. PHILLIPS
Single-crystal -Al
2
O
3
irradiated with 1 MeV electrons in a high-voltage
electron microscope at several fixed temperatures in the range 320-
1070 K.
At 770 K and below the nature of the observed damage could not be
resolved.
At 870 K and above island-like surface features rapidly formed followed
by dislocations which grew to form a dense network.
After high doses (>l0 dpa) precipitates were observed.
The associated diffraction patterns and their temperature dependence
suggested that the precipitates were of aluminum metal.
Cryogenic radiation response of sapphire
R. Devanathan, W.J. Weber, K.E. Sickafus, M. Nastasi, L.M. Wang, S.X. Wang
Sapphire (a-Al2O3) irradiated by heavy-ion and electron at cryogenic
temperatures using a high-voltage electron microscope.
1.5 MeV Xe
1 MeV Kr
Dual beam of 1 MeV Kr and 900 keV electrons
T=20 to 100 K
At 20 K, -alumina is amorphized by 1.5 MeV Xe about 3.8 (dpa)
Critical temperature for amorphization is about 170 K
The material remains crystalline when irradiated at 26 K with a dual beam
of heavy ions and electrons.
Electron irradiation can promote damage annealing, even at cryogenic
temperatures, by causing the migration of point-defects produced in
ceramics by ion irradiation.
Effects of ionizing radiation in ceramics
R. Devanathan ,K.E. Sickafus, W.J. Weber, M. Nastasi
-Al2O3 was irradiated with 1 MeV Kr
+
or 1.5 MeV Xe
+
and 1
MeV electrons in a high-voltage electron microscope interfaced
to an ion accelerator that enabled the in situ observation of the
structural changes.

The results indicate that simultaneous electron irradiation can
retard or prevent amorphization by heavy ions.

Comparison with similar experiments in metals suggests that
highly ionizing radiation can anneal damage to the crystal lattice
in ceramics by enhancing the mobility of point defects.
~1000
Vacuum
High flux e
-
Al ppt.
O
2
>40 dpa
Long time
Surface at high stress
heat