An attempt was made to understand the kinetic behavior of radiation-induced defects in α-Al2O3 irradiated with applied electric fields. To this end, a special device was developed for ion-beam irradiation on insulating ceramics at up to 920K and with applied electric fields to 300kV/m. It was found that electric fields of 100 and 300kV/m influenced the nucleation-and-growth process of defect clusters in α-Al2O3 irradiated with 100keV He+ ions. The electric fields reduced the formation of interstitial-type dislocation loops at 760K and retarded the formation of defect clusters (probably vacancy-type clusters) at 870K. The results were explained in terms of the directed migration of interstitials and the recombination rate of vacancies and interstitials.

Ion-Beam Induced Defect Formation in α-Alumina with Applied Electric Field. T.Higuchi, K.Yasuda, K.Tanaka, K.Shiiyama, C.Kinoshita: Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research B, 2003, 206, 103-8