Papers by Keyword: Doppler Broadening

Abstract: The influence of hydrogen sorption-desorption cycles on defect structure of Zr-1Nb alloy was investigated. Specimens were hydroganated from gas atmosphere at temperature 500 °C and pressure 2 atm up to the hydrogen concentration equal to 0.05 wt.% for each cycle. The hydrogen concentration during saturation was determinate by the volumetric method. Then samples were annealed at temperature 900 °C with the heating rate of 4 °C/s. The lattice defects were studied by means of positron lifetime spectroscopy (PLS) and doppler broadening spectroscopy (DBS). New experimental data about the evolution of the average positron lifetieme τ_avg, as well as the relative changes in the parameters S, W depending treatment stage in Zr-1Nb alloy during thermo hydrogen proccessing was obtained.

Abstract: This paper presents the results of a defect structure investigation in commercially pure titanium alloy after hydrogen charging in a gaseous atmosphere at the temperature of 873 K up to the concentration of 5.1 at. %. Structure of samples was studied by positron lifetime, Doppler broadening and X-ray diffraction spectrometry. Several processes, corresponding to the different ranges of hydrogen concentrations were revealed. It was shown that hydrogen, penetrating in the material, expands its crystal lattice, initiates formation of vacancy-like defects of different dimensions and reacts with the last ones, forming the defect-hydrogen complexes.

Abstract: This paper is devoted to the defect structure study of commercially pure titanium after hydrogen sorption-desorption cycles by means of positron lifetime (PL) and Doppler broadening spectrometry. Material was loaded with hydrogen from the gas phase till the concentration of hydrogen reached the value of 0.05 wt.% for each cycle. The essential changes in the positron annihilation characteristics of the sample are occurred after the each stage of treatment.

Abstract: The Low Energy Positron Toroidal Accumulator (LEPTA) at JINR proposed for generation of positronium in flight can be used for positron annihilation spectroscopy (PAS) [1]. The positron injector of the LEPTA facility can generate continuous a slow positron beam with the intensity up to 1∙10⁷s^-1 at the energy in the range of a few eV to 100 keV and width of the spectrum 1 – 2 eV. The injector is based on radioactive ²²Na isotope. The solid neon is used as a moderator to generate monochromatic beam. The parameters of the positron beam allow scanning the condensed matter in depth up to 10 microns with resolutions less than 10 nanometers and investigating layered structures for microelectronics and properties of a surface.

Abstract: Positron annihilation Doppler broadening spectroscopy (DBS) has been used for the detection of structural defects in Fe-9wt%Cr (Fe-9Cr) alloy in the as-prepared and implanted states. Defects were created by He and H ion implantation with a kinetic energy of 250 keV. DBS is a non-destructive method and is a unique tool for the observation of open volume defects like vacancies and vacancy clusters in solids. A positron beam with variable positron energy was used for the measurement of defect depth profiles up to 1.5 µm. The obtained results provide qualitative and semi-quantitative information about radiation induced defects and their chemical environment. Although the collision damage from helium implantation was one order of magnitude higher than for the case of hydrogen, the changes in S and W parameters are much less significant, probably due to considerably lower mobility of helium in the implanted materials, which results in helium capture by the created open volume defects.

Abstract: Nafion® is one of the most popular proton conducting membranes for polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs). For the integration of Nafion® to the catalyst layers, very thin layers of the polymer are often formed on the catalysts of PEFC from dilute solutions. We applied energy variable positron annihilation to characterizing the structure of thin Nafion® films prepared by spin and dip coating from ethanol/water solutions of Nafion® on Si substrates. Experimental data suggest that the nano-structure of 23 nm thick spin coated Nafion® film is different from 220 nm thick film and also from 26 and 227 nm thick dip coated films, possibly due to the preservation of the unique rod-like structure of Nafion® in the dilute solution.

Abstract: A study of irradiation-induced damage in HAVAR^® foils was initiated in order to extract the highest proton dose the foils can sustain. The lattice structure of HAVAR^® foils in different metallurgic conditions is presented, as well as visible internal structure, measured by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). Positron Annihilation Spectroscopy (PAS) techniques were used to investigate these foils, and another foil that had been irradiated to the maximal proton dose limit, set by the manufacturer to a total charge of 1 mAh (= 3.6 C). PAS techniques included Doppler broadening (DB) measurement in the SPONSOR beam and lifetime (LT) measurements, both carried at Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR). Both positron spectroscopy methods show clear differences between the investigated foils, with distinguished characteristics for annealed, cold-rolled and irradiated foils. The advantages of using a slow positron beam to study thin foils and defect profiles, over a table-top LT spectrometer, are discussed and demonstrated by the HAVAR^® measurements.

Abstract: Electroluminescence in SiO2 layers can be created by Ge implantation and a subsequent heat treatment, leading to the formation of Ge nano-particles inside the SiO2. An additional implantation of Er, connected with a further annealing, can lead to an improvement of the luminescent properties. However, the intensity of electroluminescence was found to decrease drastically after exceeding an optimum concentration of the Er doping. Slow positron implantation spectroscopy (SPIS), both in single (DB) and coincidence (CDB) Doppler broadening mode, was applied to probe processes at a microscopic level which might have an impact on the optical response. It shows that the increasing intensity of the electro-luminescence is connected with a crystalline structure of the SiO2 covering the nano-particles and also with the improved reverse energy transfer process between Er and Ge.

Abstract: A positron annihilation study of free volumes was performed on Cu-Zr and Al-Sm alloys in the course of repeated cold rolling (RCR) in order to contribute to the microscopic understanding of the complex processes of solid-state amorphization and nanocrystallization. In addition to positron lifetime spectroscopy, which yields information on the size of free volumes, twodimensional Doppler broadening technique was applied in order to study the local chemical environment of free volumes on an atomistic scale. Both in Cu60Zr40 and Al92Sm8 a characteristic variation of the chemical environment of free volumes with the number of folding and rolling (F&R) cycles could be observed. In the first (Al-Sm) and intermediate state (Cu-Zr) of F&R, free volumes with an enhanced amount of Sm or Zr content in the local environment occur, indicating interfacial segregation or the formation of solute-vacancy complexes. Upon further F&R cycling, a complete (Cu-Zr) or partially amorphous structure (Al-Sm) is obtained with the free volumes exhibiting a chemical environment characteristic of the average chemical composition. In contrast to melt-spun or ball-milled amorphous alloys, free volumes of the size of a few missing atoms are found in amorphous alloys prepared by RCR presumably due to strong athermal conditions of F&R cycling.

Abstract: In this work we used Positron Annihilation Spectroscopy (PAS) and Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) to investigate the properties of vacancy defects produced by low energy electron irradiation. N-doped 3C-SiC and 6H-SiC monocrystals have been irradiated with electrons at different energies from 240keV to 900keV. EPR measurements show that Frenkel pairs VSi 3-/Si are created in 6H-SiC when electron irradiation is performed at low energy (240-360 keV). EPR also indicates that the silicon displacement threshold energy is higher in 3C-SiC than in 6HSiC. Moreover, PAS results show that the size and concentration of the vacancy defects decrease when the electron energy decreases for both polytypes. PAS detects vacancy defects in 240keV electron irradiated 3C-SiC, and the detection of the carbon vacancy is proposed.