It was recalled that O-related defect complexes were important intrinsic defects in AlN ceramics, and that their dynamic behavior was closely related to the high-temperature physical properties. The use of γ-irradiation had a marked effect upon the electronic excitation of intrinsic defects, and thermoluminescence measurements following irradiation by gamma-ray could reveal the dynamic behavior of intrinsic defects or O-related defect complexes. By choosing different types of AlN ceramic, the basic types of O-related defect complexes (VAl¯ON¯3N and VAl¯2ON¯2N) were revealed here by studying the spectra of luminescence measurements. The results of a quantum chemistry simulation indicated that the stability of the VAl¯2ON¯2N defect system was higher than that of the VAl¯ON¯3N defect system, and that the difference in total energy for the 2 kinds of defect was 0.56eV.

The Oxygen-Related Defect Complexes in AlN under Gamma Irradiation and Quantum Chemistry Calculation. Q.Hu, T.Noda, H.Tanigawa, T.Yoneoka, S.Tanaka: Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research B, 2002, 191[1-4], 536-9