Publication Type
Journal
Journal Name
Materials Research Letters
Publication Date
Page Numbers
339 to 344
Volume
6
Issue
6
Abstract
Understanding energy dissipation in electronic and atomic subsystems and subsequent defect evolution is a scientific challenge. Separate and combined effects of electronic and nuclear energy deposition in z-cut LiTaO3 have been investigated. Irradiation of pristine LiTaO3 samples with 2 MeV Ta ions leads to amorphization due to atomic displacement damage, described by a disorder accumulation model. While 21 MeV Si ions do not produce significant damage in pristine LiTaO3, introduction of pre-existing defects sensitizes LiTaO3 to the formation of ion tracks from the electronic energy loss by 21 MeV Si ions that induce a synergistic two-stage phase transition process.