Radiation Defects in Aluminum Nitride-Based Ceramics

Resumo

The defect formation in AlN ceramics by bombarding with Fe⁺⁷ ions at a fluence ranging from 1 × 10¹¹ to 1 × 10¹⁴ ion/cm² has been studied. Changes in the main crystallographic characteristics, a decrease in the Griffiths criterion, and an increased in average stress as a result of irradiation are due to the appearance of additional defects in the structure and their subsequent evolution leading to changes in the degree of crystallinity. Pyramidal hillocks with an average height of 17–20 nm are observed to form on the surface of samples irradiated with Fe⁺⁷ ions at a fluence of 1 × 10¹¹ ion/cm².