MeV cluster ion induced defect production in high Tc superconductors

• Published in: Nuclear instruments & methods in physics research. Section B, Beam interactions with materials and atoms Beam interactions with materials and atoms, 1996-08, Vol.117 (1), p.90-94
• Main Authors: Tomaschko, Ch, Schoppmann, Ch, Kraus, M., Kragler, K., Kreiselmeyer, G., Saemann-Ischenko, G., Voit, H., Brunelle, A., Della-Negra, S., LeBeyec, Y.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0168-583X; 1872-9584
• DOI: 10.1016/0168-583X(96)00279-0

Bi 2Sr 2Ca 1Cu 2O 8 + δ and YBa 2Cu 3O 7 − δ thin films were irradiated by 23 MeV C 60 and 24 MeV Au 5 cluster ions from a tandem accelerator. The defect production of the C 60 cluster ions in Bi 2Sr 2Ca 1Cu 2O 8 + δ exceeds that of 238U ions with an energy of 2.7 GeV. The analysis of the mechanism underlying the defect production leads to different conclusions: (i) for C 60 clusters we find independence of nuclear and electronic contributions to the defect production as in the case of atomic projectiles, (ii) for Au 5 cluster ions this independence has lost it's validity. A possible interpretation of the Au 5 results is that nuclear defects are annealed by the electronic energy loss. The size of the effective damage radii obtained for the Bi 2Sr 2Ca 1Cu 2O 8 + δ film may indicate that continuous tracks are formed in this film via the C 60 and Au 5 irradiation.