Determination of track radii and relation to the electronic energy density deposited in swift heavy ion irradiated LiNbO3

Abstract

In this work, the morphology and size of ion tracks in x- and z-cut LiNbO3 irradiated with 185 MeV Au ions was investigated using Rutherford backscattering spectrometry in channeling geometry (RBS/c), scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM/TEM) and small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). By combining these methods, the tracks were identified to be amorphous surrounded by a crystalline LiNbO3 matrix. It is shown that unambiguous radii of the amorphous tracks are obtained when the sources of error and uncertainties for each method are carefully taken into account. Show more