Abstract
In the present work positron lifetime spectroscopy was employed for characterization of radiation-induced defects in yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) implanted by 167 MeV Xe ions. Positron lifetime data were interpreted with aid of ab-initio theoretical modelling of defects in YSZ lattice.
Damage caused by Xe implantation was investigated in two YSZ samples with different microstructure: (i) single crystal and (ii) sintered ceramic. The virgin YSZ single crystal exhibits single component spectrum with lifetime of approximate to 180 ps.
Similar lifetime component was found also in the virgin sample of sintered YSZ ceramic. Since this lifetime is significantly higher than the YSZ bulk lifetime the virgin YSZ crystal and the sintered ceramic both contain vacancy-like defects.
Xe implantation leads to appearance of additional defect component with longer lifetime approximate to 370 ps which comes obviously from vacancy clusters formed by agglomeration of irradiation induced vacancies. A broad absorption band with peak absorption at approximate to 518 nm was found in Xe-implanted crystal by optical measurements.